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Story highlightsRacism in Italian football is a complex issue, highlighting different attitudes"Ultra" fan groups admit targeting their clubs' black opponents with racial abuseAnti-racism group says official figures about racist incidents are not accurateAcademic urges football authorities to take stronger action against racist offendersHardcore Italian football "ultra" Federico is a Lazio supporter who happily admits directing monkey chants at black players.It is "a means to distract opposition players" says Federico, a member of the Irriducibili ("The Unbeatables") group which follows the Rome-based team."I am against anyone who calls me a Nazi," Federico told academic Alberto Testa, who spent time "embedded" with Lazio and Roma ultras for the book "Football, Fascism and Fandom: The UltraS of Italian Football," co-authored by Gary Armstrong."What I do not like is people who come to my country and commit crimes; Albanians and Romanians are destroying Rome with their camps," Federico adds."But I'm not a racist. One day, I was waiting in my car at the traffic lights and, as usual, there was a young female gypsy who was trying to clean the car windscreen and was asking for money.Read: Time for football to tackle racism epidemic?"Suddenly municipal police officers started to mistreat the girl. I jumped out of my car and almost kicked his arse. I hate injustice."JUST WATCHEDBoateng: We can't ignore racismReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHBoateng: We can't ignore racism 04:34JUST WATCHEDHayatou: Good example key against racismReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHHayatou: Good example key against racism 03:28JUST WATCHEDJuventus midfielder: Stop racismReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHJuventus midfielder: Stop racism 00:51There is nothing black and white about Italian football.Racist abuse has provided the backdrop to the Serie A season, with the latest incident -- not for the first time -- involving AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli, who was targeted by visiting Roma fans throughout a match at the San Siro Stadium in May.In the second half referee Gianluca Rocchi called the game to a halt for a few minutes, having warned the crowd via the public address system.Days after his return to Serie A earlier in 2013, following his move from Manchester City to AC Milan, Italy-born Balotelli was referred to by his new club's vice president Paulo Berlusconi -- the younger brother of the team's owner and the former Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi -- as "the family's little black boy."That remark came after, in what appeared to be an innocuous friendly match against fourth tier Italian side Pro Patria last month, Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng picked up the ball and kicked it into the stands before tearing off his black-and-red striped shirt and walking off in protest at the persistent monkey chanting to which he and three of his black teammates had been subjected.In the aftermath of Boateng's walkout, Italian interior minister Annamaria Cancellieri told Radio 24 that if only a small group of fans were involved in racist chanting, games should not be suspended, but if "a significant part of the fans take part" the game should be stopped "by those responsible for public order."Read: African football chief against walkoffs in racism incidentsAs Italy grapples with how best to confront racism, it is worth remembering it's not the only country working out a solution as to how to deal with the problem.Neo-Nazis and neo-Fascists This season, matches across Europe have been punctuated by repeated racist outbursts, which have led to calls for world governing body FIFA and European counterpart UEFA to show greater leadership and impose harsher sanctions.Amid the monkey chants and racial stereotyping, there are no easy answers to the question of just how prevalent is the incidence of racist abuse in Italian football.According to the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) in Feburary, there have been 50 incidents in Italy of racist abuse over the last six years. Of those 50 cases, 48 relate to racist chanting, with two relating to abusive banners. "And the total of violent episodes diminished from 209 to 60 and the majority of them happened outside the football venues," FIGC spokesman Diego Antenozio told CNN."The introduction of stewarding has also reduced the need of intervention by police officers inside the venues significantly."JUST WATCHEDSpeaking out against racism in footballReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSpeaking out against racism in football 02:20JUST WATCHEDIsraeli football club faces fan backlashReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHIsraeli football club faces fan backlash 02:39JUST WATCHEDFormer Polish striker condemns racismReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFormer Polish striker condemns racism 03:09Read: Boateng makes racism walkout vowHowever, talk to the head of Italy's Observatory on Racism and Anti-racism in Football, Mauro Valeri, who has been monitoring racism in Italian football for over a decade, and a different picture emerges.His organization estimates there have been over 660 racial incidents since 2000 and puts the number since 2007 at 282, nearly six times as much as the FIGC figure. In all, fines of $5 million have been handed out as punishment in those 660-plus cases, equating to a fine of $7,500 per incident."The numbers I record relate to the decision that the judge takes in the sports court and lays down fines and any disqualifications. The FIGC figures concern the criminal law," said Valeri."So in the Boateng case the sports court ruled that Pro Patria had to play the game ... 'behind closed doors' and were fined $6,689. "But the ordinary court -- the criminal law -- has instead decided that those songs were not racist. For me it's racism, for the Ministry of the Interior, no."Valeri added: "In Italy, no club has a real anti-racist strategy, because it believes the fight against racism is not a priority.Read: Blatter insists FIFA will hit racists hard"Since the early 1990s, many curves of the stadium have been occupied by neo-Nazi and neo-Fascist groups, but this problem has been addressed only as a problem of public order."That is a view that is supported by Italian football writer Charles Ducksbury, a fan of Verona, who added: "The ultra still, and always will hold all the power at clubs. They choose what is sung, what everyone does and how they do it. "Stewards and police hardly ever enter the curve as they would most likely get beaten up. Ultras say if the authorities stay out the curve, there won't be any problems. Almost all trouble happens outside the ground anyway, so that's where police tend to hang around."Time warpWhile Boateng walked off, former Netherlands international Edgar Davids, who played for both AC Milan and Inter Milan as well as Juventus, said he felt it was important to show that racist abuse did not affect him as a player during the many years of his career he spent in Italy.JUST WATCHEDMourinho on the enigma of BalotelliReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMourinho on the enigma of Balotelli 01:35JUST WATCHEDFootball pioneer on racist abuse ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFootball pioneer on racist abuse 01:41JUST WATCHEDPFA chairman: Serbia should be banned ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHPFA chairman: Serbia should be banned 01:15"You would have a problem in certain areas," Davids told CNN. "But you are a professional, you have an obligation to your team. My opinion was I'm a professional and the smartest way is to play so good that you make them even angrier. "It is also about ignorance, a fear of the unknown. If you are interested in different cultures, it's normal. "If you're not, you don't understand that concept. It is not only in Italy and it is not the whole of Italy. It was only certain teams you played, but 80-90% I didn't have a problem in Italy," added Davids, though Valeri's analysis suggests the problem is much more widespread.Read: U.S. star Altidore suffers racist abuseIf football, race and politics make for a combustible mix in Italy, it is also arguable that the standard of the country's stadia is not helping.While English football was forced to grapple with extensive stadium renovation to improve facilities for fans due to recommendations made by Lord Justice Taylor after the deadly crowd disasters at Hillsborough and Heysel in the 1980s, Italian football was left in a time warp. "I really don't believe that Italian football has learned the lessons of Heysel and Hillsborough, or at least hasn't implemented any tangible changes at anything like the pace required," said another Italian football writer Adam Digby."While the Taylor report and formation of the Premier League put English football at the forefront of fan safety and gave it ultra-modern stadia almost throughout the league, Serie A still plays host to a number of ancient, decrepit grounds."Many are still those built for Italia '90 with places such as Verona's Bentegodi and the San Paolo in Naples particularly poor on both counts. "The problems extend to a lack of quality stewarding and lax ticket security while the ultras bring even greater problems to the situation."Read: Lazio fans charged with racist behaviorOwen Neilson, who is writing a book about Italian football stadia -- "Stadio: The Life and Death of Italian Football" -- concurs that the lack of stadium redevelopment has held back Italian football. Of Serie A's big clubs, only Juventus has built a new stadium, he notes. JUST WATCHEDTerry cleared of racial abuse during gameReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTerry cleared of racial abuse during game 03:22JUST WATCHEDRacism concerns at Euro 2012ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRacism concerns at Euro 2012 04:26"The modernity of the stadia is the central issue to declining attendances -- families do not want to sit in the cold, unfriendly surroundings," said Neilson."In my opinion the league needs to harness to new stadiums to help maximize Serie A's re-emergence."So what's the solution?"The FIGC makes a relevant anti-racism activity both in the national and international domain according to the UEFA policy and guidelines, and is member of anti-discrimination organization Football against Racism in Europe," said the Italian Football Federation in its statement to CNN."Specific guidelines are part of National License Club System's requirements, as are the anti-racism initiatives that are made through FIGC Youth & School Department to involve 860,000 young footballers."But as Italian historian John Foot, author of the authoritative book on Italian football "Calcio" points out: "The Italian authorities have been all over the place on racism for a long time." Racist chantsValeri, meanwhile, urged the FIGC to donate the racism fines it recoups from the clubs for initiatives against racism, as does UEFA in its work with FARE."Any solution has to revolve around the football authorities," added Professor Clifford Stott, who has advised governments and police forces internationally on crowd management policy and practice.Stott calls on FIFA and UEFA to do more. "The FIGC, FIFA and UEFA must empower fan-based initiatives that are capable of creating a culture of self-regulation. The anti-racism agenda has come a long way in the last decades."By walking off Kevin-Prince and his fellow players have forced the agenda. The high-level political support for his action now means this might happen again, but this time during a much higher profile game -- perhaps even in the Champions League. The authorities have to react to this potential." But Stott also warned against an indiscriminate reaction by the authorities."We have learned a great deal about crowd management since the Heysel disaster, and there must be recognition that it is not appropriate or constructive to sanction whole crowds," he said."The approach to security must be capable of differentiating between those fans that are acting illegally and those fans that are not. Failure to recognize this and to react indiscriminately runs a very real danger of escalating not reducing the problems."
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Western landscapes are facing a hell lot of data breaches started with Target, Neiman Marcus and now country's largest crafts chain 'Michael's Art and Crafts' may be is the latest retailer hit by a security breach.
In a statement, Irving, Texas-based company acknowledged a possible data security breach that may have affected its customers' payment card information at its 1250 stores across the United States and Canada.
They also announced that it is working closely with federal law enforcement and is conducting an investigation with the help of third-party data security experts to establish the facts.
"Michaels said in its statement that it had "recently learned of possible fraudulent activity on some US payment cards that had been used at Michaels, suggesting that the company may have experienced a data security attack" company said.
CEO Chuck Rubin said that the company has not confirmed a breach, but wanted to alert customers:
We are concerned there may have been a data security attack on Michaels that may have affected our customers' payment card information and we are taking aggressive action to determine the nature and scope of the issue.
Michaels gave no additional information on the possible breach. At the time of writing, it was not known that how many customers may be involved and the possible breach affected online or in-store shoppers.
Michaels, a 37 year old chain with 1259 stores had revenue more than $4 Billion in 2012, and this is not the first time when the company has faced a data breach. In 2011, about 94,000 payment card numbers were stolen from approx 80 stores.
Michaels is the third major targeted retailer in the past month. In December, the attack on Target affected as many as 110 million customers, including 40 million credit and debit card and Neiman Marcus said a 3 month breach in the summer affected its 1.1 million customers.
The FBI has sent a three-page confidential memo to retailers and warned them to get prepared for more attacks involving "memory-parsing" malware that lives on point of sale registers (POS), which includes card-swiping machines and cash registers.
This memory-parsing malware is also referred to as a RAM scraper. The FBI mentions one particular variant of this malware, apparently called Alina, available at $6000 on underground forums.
If Michaels confirms a breach, it would become the latest victim in a string of data attacks rattling merchants across the U.S. Meanwhile, clients have been recommended to check their payment card account statements for unauthorized charges.
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(CNN)"The Olympic Games is the most complicated sporting event in the world to organize," says Hayley Wickenheiser, a Canadian ice hockey great. With the postponed Tokyo Olympics now to be held from July 23 to August 8 in 2021, organizers are faced by the unenviable task of how to arrange a spectacle featuring 11,000 athlete and 33 federations.If the 2021 sporting calendar was already congested, it now looks on the verge of becoming almost unmanageable.Football's 2020 European Championships have already been moved to next summer. Meanwhile the organizers of Formula One, tennis and golf have been given logistical headaches just trying to complete their respectively delayed seasons before the end of the year."It is a ton of moving parts, it involves economics, politics, sport," says Wickenheiser, a four-time Olympic champion. Read More"[There are] a lot of layers here, a lot of people have to have their say. So I respect the fact that it now needs time, we have to give them time to find the right solution."An Olympic Games rescheduled for July and August next year creates a clash with the world championships of both athletics and swimming -- though the two governing bodies have suggested rearranging for 2022 to help ease the pressure."Everyone needs to be flexible and compromise and to that end we are now working with the organisers of the World Athletics Championships in Oregon on new dates in 2022 for our World Athletics Championships," said a World Athletics statement on Monday. In rugby, the Women's World Cup is scheduled to take place between September and October and the new Olympic dates could provide several players with the difficult decision of choosing between competing for Rugby Sevens gold or the 15s World Cup title.READ: Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi donate to hospitals in fight against coronavirusREAD: Athletes come to terms with 'heartbreaking' Tokyo 2020 postponementJUST WATCHEDThe Tokyo 2020 Olympics have been postponed to 2021ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHThe Tokyo 2020 Olympics have been postponed to 2021 02:43All of this rescheduling will have to be done with the 2022 Winter Olympic Games looming in February 2022, with Beijing set to host for the first time.Summer Games in the winter?Tokyo 2020 had been scheduled to run from July 24 to August 8 this year."This is like a huge jigsaw puzzle -- every piece has to fit," said IOC President Thomas Bach last week as he reflected on the challenges facing the Olympic movement and Tokyo 2020 organizers in rearranging next year's Games."If you take out one piece, the whole puzzle is destroyed. Everything has to come together. We have no blueprint but we are confident we can put a beautiful jigsaw puzzle together and have a wonderful Olympic Games."
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(CNN)The last recorded Nazi message intercepted and decoded by Britain in World War II has been revealed for the first time to mark the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day.This note, written by GCHQ Analysts at BletchleyPark in WWII, shows the final message from the German BROWN network: "Closing down for ever -- all the best -- goodbye."The message -- released by the UK's intelligence and security organization Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) -- shows the final words broadcast by a German lieutenant just before surrendering to British forces outside his building on Germany's northern coastal town of Cuxhaven.On May 7 1945, the lieutenant named "Kunkel" sent colleagues a final farewell message at 7:35 a.m. before closing their communication network "forever."How VE Day is being celebrated differently this year"British troops entered Cuxhaven at 14:00 on 6 May -- from now on all radio traffic will cease -- wishing you all the best. Lt Kunkel," the message read. "Closing down for ever -- all the best -- goodbye."In another message, intercepted on the afternoon of May 4, a soldier based on the Danish coast asks if anyone at radio control has any spare cigarettes, before wishing everyone luck. "No cigarettes here," a colleague replies.Read MoreTo mark #VEDay75 our Historian Tony Comer tells an untold tale from our archives. For the first time he reveals the final messages intercepted by GCHQ from a German communications network in the days leading up to #VEDay ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/K7hLcN9c1J— GCHQ (@GCHQ) May 8, 2020
"These transcripts give us a small insight into the real people behind the machinery of war," GCHQ historian Tony Comer said in a statement released Friday.During the conflict, the Nazis communicated through an enigma key, codenamed "BROWN," to "coordinate experimental weapons," GCHQ explained.One of the Hut 3 priority teams at Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire, where civilian and service personnel worked together at code-breaking. British analysts first broke the German's enigma code in 1940 at the top-secret Bletchley Park country estate northwest of London, and continuously decoded German messages throughout the war.Friday marks 75 years since the end of World War II in Europe.The date would traditionally have been commemorated with pomp and pageantry, but this year, due to the stay at home measures designed to curb the coronavirus pandemic, public gatherings such as veterans parades and street parties have been canceled.CNN's Amy Woodyatt and Jack Guy contributed to this report.
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(CNN)Tina Peters, the county clerk in Mesa County, Colorado, and her deputy clerk, Belinda Knisley, have been indicted by a county grand jury stemming from an election security breach investigation by local authorities. District Attorney Dan Rubinstein announced Wednesday morning that Peters faces 10 counts, including three felony counts of attempting to influence a public servant, two felony counts of conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation, one felony count of identity theft, and misdemeanor counts for first-degree official misconduct, violation of duty and failing to comply with requirements of the Colorado secretary of state. Knisley faces six counts, including three felony counts of attempting to influence a public servant, one felony count of conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation, and misdemeanor counts for violation of duty and failing to comply with the requirements of the secretary of state. Warrants were issued for Peters' and Knisley's arrests. Both of their bonds were set at $500,000 cash only. The Mesa County Sheriff's Office said in an emailed statement Wednesday evening that Peters had turned herself in to the Mesa County Detention Facility. Knisley has been booked into the Mesa County Jail, according to sheriff's office spokesperson Megan Terlecky. Colorado county clerk turns herself in to authorities for charges of obstructing a peace officer and obstructing government operations"Yesterday, the Mesa County grand jury returned an indictment after the presentation of evidence in an ongoing investigation into the alleged election system breach in Mesa County," Rubinstein and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said in a statement. "The grand jury, randomly selected from the same pool of citizens that elected Clerk Tina Peters and chosen months before any of these alleged offenses occurred, concluded there is probable cause that Clerk Peters and Deputy Clerk Knisley committed crimes."Read MorePeters, a pro-Trump Republican running for Colorado secretary of state this year, has publicly asserted that the investigation was partisan and politically motivated. In a statement on her campaign website Wednesday, she said the grand jury indictment was "one of the last cards the Democrats have to play here.""Using legal muscle to indict political opponents during an election isn't new strategy, but it's easier to execute when you have a district attorney who despises President Trump and any constitutional conservative like myself who continues to demand all election evidence be made available to the public," she said.CNN has reached out to attorneys for Peters and Knisley for comment on the indictments.A district judge set new bond terms for the women Thursday after hearing arguments from Rubenstein and their attorneys. Peters' bond was set as a $25,000 cash surety bond that must be paid by her and not a third party. She is not allowed to have contact with Knisley, the victims mentioned in her felony indictment or any employee in the Mesa County Clerk and Recorder office. She also must turn over her passport and must seek the court's permission before traveling outside Colorado.The judge set Knisley's personal recognizance bond at $10,000. She also is not allowed to have contact with Peters, the alleged victims or employees in the Clerk and Recorder Office, except for a family member who works in the office. The sheriff's office confirmed Thursday that Knisley and Peters had been released on bond.Both women are scheduled to be arraigned on May 24.The criminal investigation into the clerk's office began after Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a Democrat, accused Peters and her deputies of facilitating a security breach in May. The breach resulted in confidential voting machine logins, and forensic images of their hard drives, being published in a QAnon-affiliated Telegram channel in early August 2021, according to previous CNN reporting.Beginning in April 2021, according to the indictment, in advance of a May 25-26, 2021, trusted build of voting machines, Peters and Knisley "devised and executed a deceptive scheme" to influence public servants, breach security protocols, exceed permissible access to voting equipment, and set in motion the eventual distribution of confidential information to unauthorized people. A "trusted build" is "the origin of the chain-of-custody for any software and firmware component of the voting system," according to the indictment.In a statement released after the indictment, Griswold said Peters' actions "constituted one of the nation's first insider threats where an official, elected to uphold free, fair, and secure selections risked the integrity of the election system in an effort to prove unfounded conspiracy theories."Every eligible Coloradan -- Republican, Democrat, and Unaffiliated alike -- has the right to make their voice heard in safe, accessible, and secure elections," added Griswold. "To do that, we need election administrators who are committed to following the law and election rules. Officials tasked with carrying out elections do so in public trust and must be held accountable when they abuse their power or position." On Friday, Peters is scheduled to appear in a Mesa County court on two separate charges of obstructing a peace officer and obstructing government operations when she was arrested by Grand Junction police at a local business in early February.This story has been updated with additional developments Thursday. CNN's Paul Murphy contributed to this report.
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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued an alert warning that hackers could exploit code in Siemens-owned technology to attack power plants and other national critical infrastructure.
Justin W. Clarke, an expert in securing industrial control systems, disclosed at a conference in Los Angeles on Friday that he had figured out a way to spy on traffic moving through networking equipment manufactured by Siemens' RuggedCom division.
RuggedCom, a Canadian subsidiary of Siemens that sells networking equipment for use in harsh environments such as areas with extreme weather, said it was investigating Clarke's findings, but declined to elaborate. Clarke said that the discovery of the flaw is disturbing because hackers who can spy on communications of infrastructure operators could gain credentials to access computer systems that control power plants and other critical systems.
According to security researcher Justin W. Clarke, Rugged OS contains the same private key used to decrypt secure-sockets-layer communications sent by administrators who log into the devices. This allows attackers who may have compromised a host on the network to eavesdrop on sessions and retrieve user login credentials and other sensitive details.
Plenty of small and home office routers also contain private SSL keys. What's different here is that RuggedCom devices, which are designed to withstand extreme dust, heat, and other harsh conditions, are connected to machinery that controls electrical substations, traffic control systems, and other critical infrastructure.
This is the second bug that Clarke, a high school graduate who never attended college, has discovered in products from RuggedCom, which are widely used by power companies that rely on its equipment to support communications to remote power stations.
Although there have been no publicly reported cases of damage caused by cyber-attacks on US critical infrastructure, the issue is a growing problem.
Countries around the world have been alerted to the threat after revelations that the Stuxnet virus had targeted a uranium enrichment facility in Iran.Earlier this month security firms reported another type of malware - dubbed Shamoon had struck "at least one organisation" in the energy sector.
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Skype has been targeted by cyber criminals again this week. Users are receiving a new Spam Email with subject "You received a new message from the Skype voice mail service.", that actually leads to Zeus Malware.
Zeus is a Trojan horse that attempts to steal confidential information from the compromised computer. It specifically targets system information, online credentials, and banking details, but can be customized through the toolkit to gather any sort of information.
The email is sent from the spoofed address "Skype Communications" and seems to be genuine, it has similar body content and the official Skype logo that usually comes with a legitimate Skype voice mail alerts.
"This is an automated email, please don't reply. Voice Message Notification. You received a new message from the Skype voice mail service." the email reads. The fraudsters have also tried to make the emails look genuine by adding real links back to the Skype website.
According to MX Lab, the attached file (151 kB) is a variant of the Zeus Trojan:
i.e. Skype_Voice_M_497564___random_numbers___872345.wav.exe
If you receive one of these emails, delete it and don't download.
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Athens (CNN)At least 74 people have died in the worst wildfires to hit Greece in more than a decade, with some residents forced to flee into the sea to escape the advancing flames.Residents told of horrifying scenes as flames engulfed a seaside village, where the only way out for some was to run for the water.Boats were mobilized in a hurriedly-organized rescue operation as the flames took hold on Monday night. Reuters reported that 696 people were picked up from beaches and 19 from the sea. Rescuers also retrieved four bodies from the sea.The Greek fire service confirmed that 25 people were found dead close to the seaside resort village of Mati as they tried to escape the fires. Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsFirefighters and volunteers try to extinguish flames in Kineta, Greece, on Tuesday, July 24.Hide Caption 1 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsAn injured woman is carried by a rescue crew in Mati on Wednesday, July 25.Hide Caption 2 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsDinnerware destroyed by the fire is seen inside a house in the village of Neos Voutzas on July 25.Hide Caption 3 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsA firefighting helicopter drops water in Kineta on July 24.Hide Caption 4 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsAsimina Psalti, 87, sits outside the remains of her burned house in Mati on July 24.Hide Caption 5 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsFirefighters try to extinguish flames in Kineta on July 24.Hide Caption 6 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsAn aerial view shows buildings destroyed in Mati on July 24.Hide Caption 7 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsEmergency workers remove a victim's body in Mati on July 24.Hide Caption 8 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsA partially melted car sits on a road in Mati.Hide Caption 9 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsA firefighter is seen with a dog that was rescued from a burning house in Mati.Hide Caption 10 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsPeople watch as a helicopter collects seawater to fight the wildfires in Mati.Hide Caption 11 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsEmergency workers arrive in the area where victims' bodies were discovered in Mati.Hide Caption 12 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsA man tries to dampen the flames in a blazing building near Athens.Hide Caption 13 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsA house burns in a wildfire in Kineta on Monday, July 23.Hide Caption 14 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsRescuers and volunteers help residents evacuate Mati on July 23.Hide Caption 15 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsPeople watch as a wildfire takes hold in the town of Rafina on July 23.Hide Caption 16 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsTwo women evacuate Mati on July 23.Hide Caption 17 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsA man tries to put out flames in Kineta.Hide Caption 18 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsPeople enter the water to escape the flames on a Mati beach.Hide Caption 19 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsA fire smolders at a beach facility in Kineta.Hide Caption 20 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsA firefighter takes on a wildfire hotspot in Kineta.Hide Caption 21 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsThe fire causes a huge traffic jam near Kineta as people try to escape the flames on July 23.Hide Caption 22 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsA firefighter reacts as a house burns in Kineta.Hide Caption 23 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsPeople escape to the seaside in Kineta.Hide Caption 24 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsSmoke fills the sky as emergency workers block a road near Kineta.Hide Caption 25 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsA motorcyclist passes burning brush on a road near Kineta.Hide Caption 26 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsSmoke rises over Athens' ancient Acropolis hill on July 23.Hide Caption 27 of 28 Photos: Deadly wildfires ravage Greek townsTourists leave the Acropolis after authorities decided to close the archaeological site as a precaution.Hide Caption 28 of 28At least 164 adults and 23 children have been injured in the blazes, which are burning in five main fronts in the Attica region, including one that is currently out of control near Mati. The area is popular with Greek tourists, in particular retirees and children who go to holiday camps there.This handout picture released by the Ministry of Defence on Tuesday shows an aerial view of the fire in Mati.
An aerial view of an urban area of Mati that was ravaged by the blaze.Read MoreThe fire service said many of those trying to escape were prevented from doing so by "increased wind intensity," which helped fan the flames at a rapid pace.People whose relatives are missing are still making calls to the fire service. In addition to about 500 firefighters battling the five major blazes, more than 100 members of the armed forces and fire brigade are searching for the missing, according to Greek National Fire Brigade spokeswoman Stavroula Malliri. 'No words'Greek Prime Minster Alexis Tsipras has declared three days of mourning."There are no words to describe the feelings of all of us," he said during a televised address Tuesday."The country is going through a tragedy," Tsipras said, adding that the events were "unbearable for everyone."Another aerial view of the damage in Mati.The Greek government has approved 20 million euros (about $23 million) to address the immediate needs of people and towns affected by the country's devastating wildfires, Greek government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos said Tuesday.So far 715 people have been evacuated, mainly from the area of Mati, according to government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos. The fires are the deadliest to have hit the country since blazes that burned through the southern Peloponnese in August 2007, killing dozens. #rafina part2 #hell Οποιος χρειάζεται βοήθεια να μας καλέσει, είτε για φιλοξενία στο σπίτι είτε για οτιδήποτε χρειαστεί να βοηθήσουμε στο χώρο του αν έχει καταστραφεί , να μεταφέρουμε πράγματα κλπ 6974960264 A post shared by Nancy sim 🎤 (IMMORTALITY) (@nancy___sim) on Jul 24, 2018 at 2:08am PDT
#rafina 😞 A post shared by Nancy sim 🎤 (IMMORTALITY) (@nancy___sim) on Jul 23, 2018 at 3:03pm PDT
"Attica is facing a very difficult night. The combination of intense winds and multiple parallel fronts has created an unprecedented extent and difficulty for firefighters," Tzanakopoulos said in a briefing late Monday.A woman searches her dog following a wildfire at the village of Mati, near Athens.A woman carries bottles of water as people stand amid the charred remains of burned-out cars in Mati east of Athens.The Attica region, which has a population of around 3.5 million people, is home to the capital Athens, the port of Piraeus and a number of suburban towns.The fires forced the Prime Minster to fly back early from a state visit to Bosnia. He has urged citizens to forget their property and focus on survival."Everyone should keep their temper and take care to protect the most precious good that is human life," he said. Skies are reddened above a roadblock on the route to Kineta.People watch a wildfire in Rafina on Monday."Property, all that has a material value, (can be) recreated. Human lives are the ones that cannot come back."Mati resident Nana Laganou told journalists that she had escaped by running into the sea, that the fire was "lightning fast" and that it was the first time she'd encountered something like this. "I would have liked to see some (reaction) from the state, but we didn't and we won't and that makes me angry."Flames rise above the town of Rafina, near Athens. Another Mati resident, Kostas Laganos, said that he had also escaped the flames by diving into the ocean. "Thankfully the sea was there and we went into the sea, because the flames were chasing us all the way to the water, it burned our backs and we dove into the water," he said. "It reminded me of the eruption (of Vesuvius in 79 AD) at Pompeii, exactly that, and I said my God, we must run to save ourselves, and nothing else. Terrible."The nearby port town of Rafina has also been hit by the wildfires.Anastasiya Pontikas, 32, told CNN that she returned from the supermarket on Monday to find her home surrounded by flames.She quickly packed up some belongings and fled with her husband. "The wind became stronger and black smoke was coming for us," she said. "We could not breathe, panic started everywhere.""The fire stopped 100 meters from our house. When we came back home to see what happened, all the trees in our street were still on fire."So far Spain and Cyprus have offered assistance, and Greece has called on other fellow members of the European Union to help battle the blaze.Various governments, including the US and the Netherlands, offered sympathy to the beleaguered region. #rafina#fire #athens A post shared by miki agam (@miki_agam) on Jul 24, 2018 at 12:01am PDT
Much of Europe has been baking under a massive high-pressure ridge that is allowing tropical heat to climb all the way to the Arctic.Temperatures above 32˚C (90˚F) extended to the northern reaches of Scandinavia, setting records in Sweden, Finland and Norway for stations above the Arctic Circle.The result has been a string of unprecedented wildfires in Sweden that have prompted the country to request assistance from other nations such as Italy, with more resources to fight wildfires.Journalist Elinda Labropoulou reported from Athens. CNN's Euan McKirdy wrote from Hong Kong. Chris Liakos and Gianluca Mezzofiore in London contributed to this report.
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(CNN)Patrick Reed led the 120th US Open as "brutal" Winged Foot lived up to its fearsome reputation and Tiger Woods missed the halfway cut. Reed followed his first round 66 with a 70 for 136 -- four-under-par overall -- one clear of fellow American Bryson DeChambeau, who posted a fine second round 68, one of only three players to break par in Friday's second round.First round leader Justin Thomas recovered from a poor start to lie one further shot back in a three-way tie for third, but his playing partner Woods struggled to a seven-over-par 77 to miss the weekend play.Justin Thomas leads US Open with record first-round score at Winged FootAfter finishing 10-over-par for his two rounds, Woods revealed he would play just one more tournament before the defense of his Masters crown in November.Like many others, Woods owed his high score to his failure to find the fairway off the tee, with the unforgiving rough at Winged Foot taking its toll.Read More"It's frustrating that I'm not going to be here for the weekend and be able to compete for this great championship," he said."It feels like the way the golf course is changing, is turning, that anybody who makes the cut has the opportunity to win this championship. I didn't get myself that opportunity." Tiger Woods slipped to a seven-over-par 77 in the second round of the US Open to miss the cut in the second major of the golf season. After the relatively easier scoring conditions of the first round, scores soared in strengthening winds and by the end of the day only six players were under par in the second major of the coronavirus-interrupted season.Spain's Rafa Cabrera Bello and US player Harris English were tied with Thomas at two-under, with Jason Kokrak also in red figures at one-under-par.2018 Masters champion Reed reveled in the testing conditions and is relishing the weekend play as he bids for a second major title."You knew today was going to be brutal," Reed said. "I love getting in there. I love when it's hard, when you have to be creative on all different golf shots."Big-hitting DeChambeau, who notably added muscle bulk during the lockdown, had set the clubhouse target from the earlier starters and with conditions getting trickier a number of big names fell away.Bryson DeChambeau consuming '6,000 calories a day' to add 40 pounds of muscle -- trainerNorthern Ireland's Rory McIlroy, two off the pace overnight, opened with a birdie but followed with seven bogeys and a double bogey on his way to a 76, partially redeemed by improved play on the back nine.McIlroy is in a group on three-over-par which includes world number one and FedEx Cup champion Dustin Johnson, who salvaged his US Open hopes with an earlier level-par 70.But not for the first time the Winged Foot course, situated northeast of New York city, was the real winner with a host of big name casualties.Defending champion Gary Woodland, suffering from a hip injury, missed the cut on eight-over, as did this year's PGA Champion Collin Morikawa, one outside the six-over mark, while Woods' long-time rival Phil Mickelson was 13-over-par for his two rounds.Mickelson frustratingly finished tied for second, one behind winner Geoff Ogilvy of Australia, when the US Open was last played at Winged Foot in 2006, with the winning total five-over-par to underline the difficulty of the test.It was so near but so far for Mickelson then as he searched for the only major to elude him, but although he improved with a 74 he was never going to recover from an opening 79 in the 2020 edition.Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, features, and videos"I enjoy the challenge this course provides," Mickelson said. "I'm disappointed I didn't play better."
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If you came across a Kindle e-book download link from any suspicious sources or somewhere other than Amazon itself, check twice before you proceed download. As downloading an eBook could put your personal information at risk.
A security researcher has uncovered a security hole in Amazon's Kindle Library that could lead to cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks and account compromises when you upload a malicious ebook.
AMAZON CREDENTIALS – BOON FOR HACKERS
The flaw affects the "Manage Your Content and Devices" and "Manage your Kindle" services in Amazon's web-based Kindle Library, which could allow a hacker to inject and hide malicious lines of code into into e-book metadata, such as the title text of an eBook, in order to compromise the security of your Amazon account.
Gaining access to your Amazon account credentials is one of the biggest boons for hackers, as they can set-up new credit cards in your account or max out the current ones on file with some big Amazon purchases. Additionally, they could compromise your other online accounts with the help of those credentials and personal information contained in your Amazon account.
FLAW WAS FIXED AND RE-INTRODUCED AGAIN
The vulnerability, which could be exploited when a user downloads a malicious e-book, was originally discovered by German security researcher Benjamin Daniel Mussler in October last year and was subsequently fixed by the retail giant in December.
However, the flaw was re-introduced after an update to the Manage Your Kindle page, and has been active since at least July this year, despite being reported by Mr Mussler to Amazon's security team. After hearing no reply from the company for several months, he decided to go public with the flaw. And at the time of writing, Amazon's Kindle Library is vulnerable to Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks, according to Mr Mussler.
Amazon's "Send to Kindle" plugin for Windows and Mac helps users to send their personal documents to their Kindle devices, including ebook files obtained from other sources as well. You can archive these documents in your Kindle Library on the cloud to easily zap them to all your Kindles at any time.
ATTACK SCENARIO
Mr Mussler continued that once a hacker manages to load your Kindle Library with a corrupted e-book, (typically with a title like ), the account cookies can be accessed by and transferred to the attacker. As a result, your Amazon account can be compromised, which could potentially expose users' personal addresses, payment details and order history as well.
"Malicious code can be injected via ebook metadata; for example, an ebook's title," wrote Mr Mussler on his personal blog, adding that "the code will be executed as soon as the victim opens the Kindle Library web page. As a result, Amazon account cookies can be accessed by and transferred to the attacker and the victim's Amazon account can be compromised."
PROOF OF CONCEPT ATTACK CODE
According to Mr Mussler, Amazon used his proof of concept attack code during its testing of the Manage your Kindle page and was surprised that an oversight suggests that the exploit is active. But, users who stick to e-books sold and delivered by Amazon are safe.
Thankfully, the exploit only affects users who download pirated eBooks from dubious sources, so don't worry about adding an eBook to your Amazon shopping cart any time soon.
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It's been almost two weeks since the WireLurker malware existence was revealed for the first time, and Chinese authorities have arrested three suspects who are allegedly the authors of the Mac- and iOS-based malware that may have infected as many as hundreds of thousands of Apple users.
The Beijing Bureau of Public security has announced the arrest of three suspects charged with distributing the WireLurker malware through a popular Chinese third-party online app store. The authorities also say the website that was responsible for spreading the malware has also been shut down.
"WireLurker" malware was originally discovered earlier this month by security firm Palo Alto Networks targeting Apple users in China. The malware appeared as the first malicious software program that has ability to penetrate the iPhone's strict software controls. The main concern to worry about this threat was its ability to attack non-jailbroken iOS devices.
Once a device infected with the malware, the virus could download the malicious and unapproved apps, which are designed to steal information, from the third-party app stores and, if it detects an iOS device connected through the USB slot, it would install the malicious apps on the device as well.
"This malware is under active development and its creator's ultimate goal is not yet clear," the researchers wrote in a report [PDF]. "The ultimate goal of the WireLurker attacks is not completely clear. The functionality and infrastructure allows the attacker to collect significant amounts of information from a large number of Chinese iOS and Mac OS systems, but none of the information points to a specific motive. We believe WireLurker has not yet revealed its full functionality."
Unlike most iPhone bug, WireLurker malware has ability to install even on non-jailbroken iOS devices because the malware authors have used enterprise certificates to sign the apps. Apple has since revoked these cryptographic certificates used to sign WireLurker, and blocked all the apps signed with it. Palo Alto estimated that hundreds of thousands of users installed the malicious apps.
China appears to have taken the threat very seriously and within two weeks arrested three individuals who are believed to be the creators of the malicious software.
Although, there is not much details available about the arrest as the Bureau has simply posted a short notification on its Sina Weibo, a Chinese micro blogging service.
But according to the Chinese authorities, the three suspects are identified as "Chen," "Lee" and "Wang," who are suspected of manufacturing and distributing the malicious program "for illegal profit," and that the Chinese authorities have been helped in the investigation by researchers from Chinese AV company Qihoo 360.
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A Dutch security researcher has uncovered a slew of security vulnerabilities in an essential component of solar panels which could be exploited to cause widespread outages in European power grids.
Willem Westerhof, a cybersecurity researcher at Dutch security firm ITsec, discovered 21 security vulnerabilities in the Internet-connected inverters – an essential component of solar panel that turns direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC).
According to Westerhof, the vulnerabilities leave thousands of Internet-connected power inverters installed across Europe vulnerable.
Westerhof demonstrates that it is possible for hackers to gain control of a large number of inverters and switch them OFF simultaneously, causing an imbalance in the power grid that could result in power outages in different parts of Europe.
The vulnerabilities affect solar panel electricity systems, also known as photovoltaics (PV), made by German solar equipment company SMA, which if exploited in mass, could result in electrical grids getting knocked offline.
Westerhof's research, called the "Horus Scenario" – named after the Egyptian god of the sky, was first published in a Dutch newspaper Volkskrant, and now he launched a website detailing the vulnerabilities and how a digital attack could lead to terrible consequences.
According to the researcher, the attack causes due to an imbalance in the power grid. Since the power grid needs to maintain a constant balance between the supply of power and demand of power, an exceed in supply or demand could cause outages.
So, if an attacker manipulates the amount of PV power in a power grid at a particular time, an attacker could cause peaks or dips of several GigaWatts, causing a massive imbalance which may lead to large scale power outages.
For a country like Germany, where solar energy covers up to 50 percent of its power demand, such a devastating attack would instantly cause a significant power outage, which would adversely affect millions of people and cost governments billions of dollars.
To explain this scenario in real life, Westerhof analysed the PV inverters made by SMA and discovered 17 vulnerabilities, 14 of which received CVE IDs and CVSS scores ranging from 3 (Informational) to 9 (Critical).
"In the worst case scenario, an attacker compromises enough devices and shuts down all these devices at the same time causing threshold values to be hit" and "a 3 hour power outage across Europe, somewhere mid day on June is estimated to cause +/- 4.5 billion euros of damage," Westerhof writes.
Westerhof reported all the vulnerabilities to SMA in late 2016 and worked with the company, power grid regulators, and government officials to fix the issues and harden up the security of their systems.
More than six months later, the company patched the flaws in its kit and is rolling out patches to its customers, while power grid regulators and the government will discuss the findings at international conferences.
Luckily it was a white hat who discovered the flaws in the solar panel which could have caused a devastating effect on the entire nation. If it were a black hat, it could have resulted in massive power outages across Europe similar to the one suffered by Ukraine last year.
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London (CNN Business)The fashion industry contributes more to climate change than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. It generates 20% of wastewater and 10% of carbon emissions globally, according to the UN. Also, each year, the industry is responsible for releasing half a million tons of synthetic microfibers into the ocean. Consumers are becoming more aware of the environmental cost of producing huge amounts of cheap clothes, and some are forming more sustainable habits including buying used clothing. Fashion giants are responding, too. By 2025, Zara pledges to only use organic, sustainable or recycled cotton, linen and polyester to make its clothing. H&M (HMRZF) promises to do similar by 2030. Nike (NKE) will power its plants with 100% renewable energy by 2025, and Adidas (ADDDF) will double the number of shoes made from recycled plastic waste this year. Wrangler has developed a new denim process that eliminates water waste. Read MoreThe improvements are being driven by new technologies that could transform the way clothes are designed, produced and sold. Sustainable t-shirt manufacturer Teemill uses AI and robotics in its factory to reduce wasteWaste reduction"Fashion is a high volume, low value, waste stream. There's a lot of it and it's worth nothing," says Mart Drake-Knight, co-founder of Teemill, a UK startup that manufactures and recycles t-shirts using renewable energy and technology to minimize waste. He claims that three out of every five t-shirts bought today will be trashed within a year. Many won't even be worn before heading to the landfill. The cost is not just environmental: the industry, valued at around $2.4 trillion, loses about $500 billion each year due to the lack of recycling and clothes that are thrown away before ever being sold, according to the UN.To overcome this, Teemill items are produced in real time and on demand in their factory on the Isle of Wight, in southern England, with the help of dozens of robotic devices and artificial intelligence. Anyone with an internet connection can design and sell shirts through Teemill's website — its clients include charities like Save the Children and Greenpeace and designers such as Katherine Hamnett and Bella Freud."We've designed out the concept of unsold stock," says Drake-Knight. British model Kate Moss wears a Teemill t-shirtEven so, these t-shirts will ultimately come to the end of their life and more often than not head towards the trash. To solve this, Teemill incentivizes customers to return these items, offering free postage and store credit. Because Teemill's products are made from natural materials, the fibers can be used again and again. This contributes to the company's goal of creating a circular economy, and by doing this, they retain some of the original t-shirt's value. "If you throw a garment into the bin, all of that value is lost forever," says Mark Sumner, a lecturer in sustainability, retail and fashion at the University of Leeds. "Even if you do the old-fashioned thing like donating it to charity, you're retaining some of the value of that garment."TransparencySamantha Dover, a senior retail analyst at market research company Mintel, explains that consumers have not only become more conscious of where their clothes end up, but also factory working conditions and where the garment comes from. Some 53% of UK clothes shoppers think retailers should provide more information on where clothes are made, according to Mintel. "There is an underlying demand for retailers to not only be more transparent but to also make the information they are providing as accessible as possible for the average consumer," Dover tells CNN Business.This has led to some brands using blockchain technology to track their supply chains. The online public ledger creates a permanent and unchangeable record of transactions: each one is time-stamped and linked to the last, so that it can't later be altered. Designer Martine Jarlgaard uses blockchain to track her supply chain"Blockchain-powered transparency in supply chains empowers the involved partners by giving them a voice as well as holding everyone accountable," says London-based designer Martine Jarlgaard.In partnership with technology company Provenance, Jarlgaard embedded blockchain technology into her garments, so that consumers can track the journey of the item, from the production of the raw material to the shop floor, simply by scanning the item's QR code on an app. "We urgently need to understand brands' actual commitment to sustainability ... and only factual transparency will enable consumers and collaborators to navigate and to make the right decisions," says Jarlgaard. Big dataIn a global market like fashion, with multiple suppliers and traders around the world, it can be difficult for a brand to fully understand their own supply chain and measure their environmental impact. That's why, in May, Google Cloud partnered with designer Stella McCartney to build a tool that uses data analytics and machine learning to help brands estimate the environmental impact of their production process. Looking primarily at cotton and viscose, the tool — expected to launch next year — will analyze data from a number of sources and measure key points such as soil quality, water run-off, wastage and greenhouse gas emissions.Access to valuable data would make brands more aware of their impact and drive them to be more sustainable, says Google's Ian Pattinson"The data that's out there is really fragmented," Ian Pattinson, head of customer engineering, retail and manufacturing at Google Cloud UK and Ireland, tells CNN Business. "But we feel we can bring it together and present it to fashion brands and retailers and give them a picture of their sustainability footprint."Currently, retailers are working off old data, he says, whereas this would give them real-time insight.But Sumner, from the University of Leeds, warns that there is a danger of too much data. His research has found that overloading the consumer with information on carbon footprint, working conditions or toxicological impacts does not always change their habits. "We end up overloading the consumer so much ... [that] they just turn off and go, 'You know what, I'm going to buy some clothes that make me look good,' " he says.
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Cybersecurity researchers have spotted a new cyberattack that is believed to be the very first but an amateur attempt to weaponize the infamous BlueKeep RDP vulnerability in the wild to mass compromise vulnerable systems for cryptocurrency mining.
In May this year, Microsoft released a patch for a highly-critical remote code execution flaw, dubbed BlueKeep, in its Windows Remote Desktop Services that could be exploited remotely to take full control over vulnerable systems just by sending specially crafted requests over RDP.
BlueKeep, tracked as CVE-2019-0708, is a wormable vulnerability because it can be weaponized by potential malware to propagate itself from one vulnerable computer to another automatically without requiring victims' interaction.
BlueKeep has been considered to be such a serious threat that since its discovery, Microsoft and even government agencies [NSA and GCHQ] had continuously been encouraging Windows users and admins to apply security patches before hackers gain hold onto their systems.
Even many security firms and individual cybersecurity researchers who successfully developed a fully working exploit for BlueKeep pledged not to release it to the public for a greater good—especially because nearly 1 million systems were found vulnerable even a month after patches were released.
This is why amateur hackers took almost six months to come up with a BlueKeep exploit that is still unreliable and doesn't even have a wormable component.
BlueKeep Exploit Spreads Cryptocurrency Malware
The BlueKeep exploitation in the wild was first speculated by Kevin Beaumont on Saturday when his multiple EternalPot RDP honeypot systems got crashed and rebooted suddenly.
Marcus Hutchins, the researcher who helped stop the WannaCry ransomware outbreak in 2017, then analysed the crash dumps shared by Beaumont and confirmed "BlueKeep artifacts in memory and shellcode to drop a Monero Miner."
In a blog post published today, Hutchins said, "Finally, we confirm this segment [in crash dump] points to executable shellcode. At this point, we can assert valid BlueKeep exploit attempts in the wild, with shellcode that even matches that of the shellcode in the BlueKeep Metasploit module!"
The exploit contains encoded PowerShell commands as the initial payload, which then eventually downloads the final malicious executable binary from a remote attacker-controlled server and executes it on the targeted systems.
According to Google's VirusTotal malware scanning service, the malicious binary is cryptocurrency malware that mines Monero (XMR) using the computing power of infected systems to generate revenue for attackers.
But It's Not Wormable Attack!
Hutchins also confirmed that the malware spread by this BlueKeep exploit doesn't contain any self-spreading capabilities to jump unassisted from one computer to another.
Instead, it appears that the unknown attackers are first scanning the Internet to find vulnerable systems and then exploiting them.
In other words, without a wormable component, the attackers would be able to only compromise vulnerable systems that are directly connected to the Internet, but not those that are internally-connected and reachable from them.
Though sophisticated hackers might have already been exploiting the BlueKeep flaw to stealthy compromise targeted victims, fortunately, the flaw has not yet been exploited at a larger scale, like WannaCry or NotPetya wormable attacks, as speculated initially.
However, at the time of writing, it's unclear how many BlueKeep vulnerable Windows systems have been compromised in the latest cyberattacks to deploy the Monero miner in the wild.
To protect yourself? Let me try this again—Go and fix the goddamn vulnerability if you are or your organisation is still using BlueKeep vulnerable Windows systems.
If fixing the vulnerability in your organisation is not possible anytime sooner, then you can take these mitigations:
Disable RDP services, if not required.
Block port 3389 using a firewall or make it accessible only over a private VPN.
Enable Network Level Authentication (NLA) – this is partial mitigation to prevent any unauthenticated attacker from exploiting this Wormable flaw.
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Latest research has demonstrated a new exploit that enables arbitrary data to be uploaded from devices that are not connected to the Internet by simply sending "Find My" Bluetooth broadcasts to nearby Apple devices.
"It's possible to upload arbitrary data from non-internet-connected devices by sending Find My [Bluetooth Low Energy] broadcasts to nearby Apple devices that then upload the data for you," Positive Security researcher Fabian Bräunlein said in a technical write-up disclosed last week.
The study builds on a previous analysis by TU Darmstadt published in March 2021, which disclosed two distinct design and implementation flaws in Apple's crowdsourced Bluetooth location tracking system that could lead to a location correlation attack and unauthorized access to a user's location history of the past seven days.
The investigation was augmented by the release of a framework called OpenHaystack that's designed to let any user create an "AirTag," enabling individuals to track personal Bluetooth devices via Apple's massive Find My network.
But the reverse engineering of Apple's Find My offline finding system also left the door open to the possibility that the protocol could be emulated to upload arbitrary data to the Internet by broadcasting the information via Bluetooth beacons that would get picked up by Apple devices in close physical proximity, and then subsequently relay the encrypted data to Apple's servers, from where a macOS application can retrieve, decode, and display the uploaded data.
One of the core aspects of Find My is its rotating key scheme consisting of a pair of public-private keys that are deterministically changed every 15 minutes, with the public key sent within the Bluetooth Low Energy advertisement packet.
Thus when nearby Apple devices such as MacBooks, iPhones, and iPads receive the broadcast, they fetch their own location, then encrypt the location using the aforementioned public key before sending the encrypted location report to iCloud along with a hash of the public key. In the final step, the owner of the lost device can use a second Apple device signed in with the same Apple ID to access the approximate location.
The encryption protections mean that not only does Apple not know which public keys belong to a specific lost device or AirTag, it also doesn't have any knowledge of which location reports are intended for a specific user — hence the above Apple ID requirement. "The security solely lies in the encryption of the location reports: The location can only be decrypted with the correct private key, which is infeasible to brute force and only stored on the paired Owner Device," Bräunlein said.
The idea, therefore, is to exploit this gap by encoding a message into the broadcast payloads and then obtaining them on the other end using a data fetcher component based on OpenHaystack that decrypts and extracts the information transmitted from the sender device, say, a microcontroller.
"When sending, the data is encoded in the public keys that are broadcasted by the microcontroller. Nearby Apple devices will pick up those broadcasts and forward the data to an Apple backend as part of their location reporting. Those reports can later be retrieved by any Mac device to decode the sent data," Bräunlein explained.
While malicious real-world implications of such an exploit may seem moot, it's also difficult for Apple to defend against an attack of this kind due to the inherent end-to-end encrypted nature of the Find My network.
To counter any potential misuse, the researcher suggests hardening the system in two possible ways, including authenticating the BLE advertisement and applying rate limits on-location report retrievals by caching the hashes and ensuring that the only "16 new key ids are queried per 15 minutes and Apple ID." It's worth noting that there is a limit of 16 AirTags per Apple ID.
"In the world of high-security networks, where combining lasers and scanners seems to be a noteworthy technique to bridge the air gap, the visitor's Apple devices might also become feasible intermediaries to exfiltrate data from certain air gapped systems or Faraday caged rooms," Bräunlein said.
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(CNN)Lindsey Vonn, the greatest female ski racer of all time, and NHL star P.K. Subban have announced they have broken up.The couple met around three years ago and made their relationship public in 2018.They got engaged in August 2019 when, according to Vogue, Subban proposed at home, in front of Vonn's three dogs, presenting her an emerald ring -- her favorite color and his birthstone.READ: Mikaela Shiffrin returns to skiing after grieving death of father Jeff View this post on Instagram A post shared by L I N D S E Y • V O N N (@lindseyvonn)
"Over the past 3 years PK and I have had some incredible times together," Vonn wrote on Instagram.Read More"He is a kind, good man, and someone I respect a great deal. However, after much consideration we have decided to move forward separately. We will always remain friends and love each other immensely."New Jersey Devils defenseman Subban has also released a statement. It said in part: "Lindsey is one of the most kind and caring people I know. I will always treasure our time as a couple together and the many laughs we shared."Vonn, 36, retired from professional skiing in 2019. She finished her career with 82 World Cup victories. That's 20 wins ahead of the next best woman, Annemarie Moser-Proell of Austria, and second on the all-time list behind Sweden's Ingemar Stenmark.By winning a downhill bronze in her final race, Vonn became the oldest woman to secure a medal at a world championships and the first female racer to medal at six world championships. She also won three Olympic medals, including gold in the downhill in Vancouver in 2010.A Toronto native, the 31-year-old Subban is considered one of the top defensemen in the NHL.He was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the second round of the 2007 NHL draft with the No. 43 pick and was named to the NHL All-Star team in 2013 and 2015.Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, features, and videosPK Subban and Lindsey Vonn attend as Harper's BAZAAR celebrates "ICONS By Carine Roitfeld" at The Plaza Hotel.In 2014, Subban won gold representing Canada at the Sochi Olympics and led the Nashville Predators to the franchise's first appearance in the Stanley Cup Final in 2017. He was traded to New Jersey in June.Vonn previously was married to US skier Thomas Vonn and later dated Tiger Woods.
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(CNN)Stephanie Frappart is set to make football history for the third time in four months, but the French referee is taking it all in her stride. On Wednesday, Frappart will take charge of the UEFA Super Cup between Chelsea and Liverpool in Istanbul, becoming the first female to officiate in a major men's European match.Follow @cnnsport
Arguably, it isn't the biggest match Frappart has officiated this summer as the 35-year-old was the referee for the Women's World Cup final between the USA and the Netherlands in July, which perhaps explains why this footballing trailblazer says she is not feeling any added pressure before Wednesday's showpiece match. "We are not afraid about this game because we are always ready for all of the games," Frappart, who in April became the first woman to take charge of a league match in France's top division, told reporters on the eve of the all-English tie. Also the first woman to be appointed to France's elite pool of referees, Frappart rejected any notion that it was more difficult to officiate a men's game. Read More"I think there is not a lot of difference, because football is the same," she said. "Refereeing is the same, football is the same, I would do the same I do in women's football."READ: Salah to Guardiola -- Champions League is soccer's 'biggest competition'READ: 'Equal pay ridiculous,' says top soccer coach Frappart was in charge of this summer's Women's World Cup final. Life has changedFrappart said her "life has changed" since she was appointed by UEFA, European football's governing body, earlier this month as part of an all-female on-field referee team for the match between the winners of last season's Champions League and Europa League."I'm now popular all over the world," Frappart explained. "But I was also appointed in Ligue 1, so I know the feelings and emotions and how to manage them and how to train for [the occasion]. This is not my first appointment."Frappart will be joined by assistant referees Manuela Nicolosi and Michelle O'Neill, who were both also part of July's World Cup final. O'Neill told reporters that it was "pretty nice" to be "opening the pathway" for future generations. READ: Istanbul bar owners braced for English soccer fans Frappart is the first woman to referee a Ligue 1 match. Switzerland's Nicole Petignat was the first woman to referee men's matches in European competition, taking charge of three UEFA Cup qualifying round games between 2004 and 2009, while female referees have taken charge of men's league matches. In 2017 Bibiana Steinhaus became the first woman to referee a top-flight match across Europe's five top leagues when she took charge of a Bundesliga match in Germany. But there is no question that Wednesday evening in Turkey will be a big moment for women in football. "Finally it's time," said Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who guided his team to the European Cup in June with victory over Tottenham in Madrid. "I've had a lot of experience with women referees in Germany. Bibiana Steinhaus is doing it. It took a while before she was considered, not by the professionals but by the referees, to be ready. Meanwhile, she's settled. "I'm really happy we can be part of that historical moment. There are so many things in the world out there which we are still obviously not smart enough to make the right decisions, so that's a very smart decision that we finally bring a woman to be a referee of a very, very important game, and an important game in front of millions of people."Chelsea boss Frank Lampard told reporters that Frappart's appointment was "one more step in the right direction.""I think the game has come on a long way in many ways, in terms of the women's World Cup which we all watched this summer, in terms of how much respect the game's getting, how many people are watching it and the interest in the game," he said."I think we were very slow everywhere on this and now we are trying to make strides, and there's still a long way to go but in terms of tomorrow I think it's a huge moment."Visit CNN.com/Sport for more news, features and videosRoberto Rosetti, UEFA's chief refereeing officer, said he hoped Frappart would "inspire thousands and thousands of young female referees around the world.""They are good, they are prepared they are ready," he told reporters. "They are strong, technically, physically, just a few days ago Stephanie passed the men's fitness test with the elite referees."
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If you were a buyer of any online DDoS-for-hire service, you might be in trouble.
After taking down and arresting the operators of the world's biggest DDoS-for-hire service last year, the authorities are now in hunt for customers who bought the service that helped cyber criminals launch millions of attacks against several banks, government institutions, and gaming industry.
Europol has announced that British police are conducting a number of live operations worldwide to track down the users of the infamous Webstresser.org service that the authorities dismantled in April 2018.
Launched in 2015, Webstresser let its customers rent the service for about £10 to launch Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks against their targets with little to no technical knowledge, which resulted in more than 4 million DDoS attacks.
According to the Europol announcement published on Monday, the agency gained access to the accounts of over 151,000 registered Webstresser users last year when it shut down the service and have now uncovered a "trove of information" against some users that could help the agency track them down.
Europol said more than 250 users of Webstresser and other DDoS-for-hire services will soon face potential prosecution for the damage they have caused.
"Size does not matter — all levels of users are under the radar of law enforcement, be it a gamer booting out the competition out of a game, or a high-level hacker carrying out DDoS attacks against commercial targets for financial gain," Europol said.
In the United Kingdom, several webstresser.org users have recently been visited by the police. In the Netherlands, the police are trying to link user profiles to the identities of Dutch people, while "a Dutch user of webstresser.org has already received this alternative sanction."
Other countries, including the United States, Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Denmark, Romania, Estonia, Hungary, Ireland, Switzerland, Norway, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden, Australia, Colombia, Serbia, have also joined the fight against DDoS attacks.
While some of these countries are focusing their actions specifically against the Webstresser users, some have intensified their activities against the users of any DDoS booter or stresser service.
"To this effect, the FBI seized last December 15 other DDoS-for-hire websites, including the relatively well known Downthem and Quantum Stresser," Europol said. "Similarly, the Romanian police has taken measures against the administrators of 2 smaller-scale DDoS platforms and has seized digital evidence, including information about the users."
So, users of all DDoS-for-Hire services are in danger of being prosecuted.
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It's been nearly three months since Edward Snowden started telling the world about the National Security Agency's mass surveillance of global communications.
After the last week report that the National Security Agency has leveraged its cooperative relationships with specific industry partners to insert vulnerabilities into Internet security products.
Bitcoin, a virtual currency, a peer-to-peer electronic cash system, which is generated on a logarithmic scale by dedicated miners who run software that generate the complex hash codes which make up a Bitcoin.
The integrity of Bitcoin depends on a hash function called SHA-256, which was designed by the NSA and published by the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST).
Is it hard to believe that could the intelligence community have a secret exploit for Bitcoin? While there is no evidence yet to support the speculation.
"If you assume that the NSA did something to SHA-256, which no outside researcher has detected, what you get is the ability, with credible and detectable action, they would be able to forge transactions. The really scary thing is somebody finds a way to find collisions in SHA-256 really fast without brute-forcing it or using lots of hardware and then they take control of the network." Cryptography researcher Matthew D. Green of Johns Hopkins University said.
Bitcoin has recently added in the watchlist of the New York Department of Financial Services, the California Department of Financial Institutions and U.S Government is asking all intelligence agencies for information on how it plans to deal with Bitcoin.
The NSA apparently possesses groundbreaking capabilities against encrypted voice and text communication and has invested billions of dollars since 2000 to make nearly everyone's secrets available for government consumption by cracking every encryption. But we don't know precisely how much, maybe including Bitcoin too?
Last month, we reported an Android security vulnerability which resulted in the theft of coins, because of Weak random number generators (RNGs) was implicated in Bitcoin. Is it possible that this vulnerability was known to be weak by the NSA, and that bitcoin thieves simply stumbled upon the security hole first?
"Bitcoin was the last thing on which I trusted blindly over the internet and If someday another Snowden will reveal that this really happens, I would just switch off my life from the Digital World.", Aman Srivastava, Bitcoin user of the Silk Road and other underground marketplaces.
Even today it's too early to come to conclusions about Bitcoin. Possibly it was designed from day one as a tool to help maintain control of the money supplies of the world.
Further, cryptographers at John Hopkins University are creating a another anonymous system called Zerocoin that would be a Inception like an alternative currency to the Bitcoin.
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Threat actors are increasingly adopting Excel 4.0 documents as an initial stage vector to distribute malware such as ZLoader and Quakbot, according to new research.
The findings come from an analysis of 160,000 Excel 4.0 documents between November 2020 and March 2021, out of which more than 90% were classified as malicious or suspicious.
"The biggest risk for the targeted companies and individuals is the fact that security solutions still have a lot of problems with detecting malicious Excel 4.0 documents, making most of these slip by conventional signature based detections and analyst written YARA rules," researchers from ReversingLabs said in a report published today.
Excel 4.0 macros (XLM), the precursor to Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), is a legacy feature incorporated in Microsoft Excel for backward compatibility reasons. Microsoft warns in its support document that enabling all macros can cause "potentially dangerous code" to run.
The ever-evolving Quakbot (aka QBOT), since its discovery in 2007, has remained a notorious banking trojan capable of stealing banking credentials and other financial information, while also gaining worm-like propagation features. Typically spread via weaponized Office documents, variants of QakBot have been able to deliver other malware payloads, log user keystrokes, and even create a backdoor to compromised machines.
In a document analyzed by ReversingLabs, the malware not only tricked users into enabling macros with convincing lures, but also came with embedded files containing XLM macros that download and execute a malicious second-stage payload retrieved from a remote server. Another sample included a Base64-encoded payload in one of the sheets, which then attempted to download additional malware from a sketchy URL.
"Even though backward compatibility is very important, some things should have a life expectancy and, from a security perspective, it would probably be best if they were deprecated at some point in time," the researchers noted. "Cost of maintaining 30 year old macros should be weighed against the security risks using such outdated technology brings."
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Security researchers have illustrated a new app-in-the-middle attack that could allow a malicious app installed on your iOS device to steal sensitive information from other apps by exploiting certain implementations of Custom URL Scheme.
By default on Apple's iOS operating system, every app runs inside a sandbox of its own, which prevent all apps installed on the same device from accessing each other's data.
However, Apple offers some methods that facilitate sending and receiving very limited data between applications.
One such mechanism is called URL Scheme, also known as Deep Linking, that allows developers to let users launch their apps through URLs, like facetime://, whatsapp://, fb-messenger://.
For example, when you click "Sign in with Facebook" within an e-commerce app, it directly launches the Facebook app installed on your device and automatically process the authentication.
In the background, that e-commerce app actually triggers the URL Scheme for the Facebook app (fb://) and passes some context information required to process your login.
Researchers at Trend Micro noticed that since Apple does not explicitly define which app can use what keywords for their Custom URL Scheme, multiple apps on an iOS device can use single URL Scheme—which eventually could trigger and pass sensitive data to a completely different app unexpectedly or maliciously.
"This vulnerability is particularly critical if the login process of app A is associated with app B," the researchers said.
To demonstrate this, researchers illustrated an attack scenario, as shown in the image above, using an example of a Chinese retailer app "Suning" and its implementation of "Login with WeChat" feature, explaining how it is susceptible to hacking.
In Short, when the Suning app users choose to access their e-commerce account using WeChat, it generates a login-request and sends it to the WeChat app installed on the same device using the iOS URL Scheme for the messaging app. WeChat app then requests a secret login token from its server and sends it back to the Suning app for authentication.
Researchers found that since Suning always uses the same login-request query to request the secret token and WeChat does not authenticate the source of the login request, the implementation is vulnerable to the app-in-the-middle attack via the iOS URL Scheme, eventually allowing attackers gain unauthorized access to users' accounts.
"With the legitimate WeChat URL Scheme, a fake-WeChat can be crafted, and Suning will query the fake one for Login-Token. If the Suning app sends the query, then the fake app can capture its Login-Request URL Scheme.
"WeChat recognizes it, but it will not authenticate the source of the Login-Request. Instead, it will directly respond with a Login-Token to the source of the request. Unfortunately, the source could be a malicious app that is abusing the Suning URL scheme."
That means, a malicious app with the same Custom URL Scheme as a targeted application can trick other apps into sharing users' sensitive data with it or can perform unauthorized actions, potentially resulting in the loss of privacy, bill fraud, or exposure to pop-up ads.
"In our research, plenty of apps that our system audited were found taking advantage of this feature to show ads to victims. Potentially malicious apps would intentionally claim the URL Scheme associated with popular apps: wechat://, line://, fb://, fb-messenger://, etc. We identified some of these malicious apps," the researchers said.
Since the exploitability of this vulnerability totally depends upon the way a URL Scheme has been implemented, app developers and popular platforms are recommended to review their apps and validate fix for untrusted requests.
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(CNN)Here's a look at the life of Gerry Adams, former president of Sinn Fein, the leading republican political party in Northern Ireland.PersonalBirth date: October 6, 1948Birth place: Belfast, Northern IrelandBirth name: Gerard AdamsRead MoreFather: Gerry Adams, laborer and republican activistMother: Annie (Hannaway) Adams, mill workerMarriage: Colette (McArdle) Adams (1971-present)Children: GearóidReligion: CatholicOther FactsSinn Fein means "we ourselves."Has written more than 10 books.Denies being a member of the Irish Republican Army.TimelineEarly 1960s - Joins Sinn Fein, which supports the reunion of British-ruled Northern Ireland with the rest of Ireland.1972 - Suspected of being an Irish Republican Army leader, Adams is interned without trial.July 1972 - Is released to participate in secret peace talks with the British government.1973-1977 - After peace talks fail, Adams is imprisoned again.1978 - Elected vice president of Sinn Fein.1983 - Elected president of Sinn Fein.1983-1992 - Is the elected representative for West Belfast in the British House of Commons. Following Sinn Fein policy, Adams never takes his seat in order to avoid taking the obligatory oath of loyalty to the Queen of England.1984 - Is shot and seriously wounded during an assassination attempt.1988 - Begins talks with John Hume, the leader of Northern Ireland's Social Democratic and Labour Party.1993 - Adams and Hume issue a statement suggesting ways to peacefully settle the conflict in Northern Ireland.1994 - Is granted his first US visa.1997 - Meets with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.April 1998 - The Good Friday Agreement, also known as the Belfast Agreement, is signed, establishing a democratically elected assembly in Northern Ireland. The assembly is suspended several times, with the last suspension ending in 2007.June 1998 - Is elected to the new Northern Ireland Assembly.2011 - Is elected to the Dáil, Ireland's parliament.April 30-May 4, 2014 - Adams is held for questioning in connection with the 1972 Irish Republican Army abduction and slaying of Jean McConville, a mother of 10.May 19, 2015 - Meets Prince Charles. This is the first meeting between a member of the British Royal Family and the leader of Sinn Fein.May 22, 2015 - Calls the election results making Ireland the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage through popular vote, "a huge day for equality."September 29, 2015 - Northern Ireland's Public Prosecution Service confirms that Adams and six others will not be prosecuted in connection with the 1972 murder of Jean McConville.March 16, 2016 - The Secret Service apologizes for denying Adams entry to a White House reception, blaming the mix-up on an administrative error. Adams was invited to attend St. Patrick's Day celebrations on March 15, but when he arrived he says staff informed him that there was an issue of security.November 18, 2017 - During Sinn Fein's annual meeting in Dublin, Ireland, Adams announces his intention to stand down as president in 2018. February 10, 2018 - Steps down as president of Sinn Fein.July 13, 2018 - An explosive device is thrown at Adams' home in Belfast, and at the home of Bobby Storey, another Sinn Fein leader. An arrest is made on July 17 in connection to the attacks.October 2018 - "The Negotiator's Cook Book," which contains recipes Adam's calls "the best-kept secrets" behind the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, is published.October 17, 2019 - A Belfast court dismisses a case against former IRA member Ivor Bell, also clearing Adams of any links to the murder of McConville.February 2020 - The Guardian reports that Adams is part of Sinn Fein's government formation negotiating team, according to a leaked brief. His name does not appear on the list of the negotiating team released by the party. This follows Sinn Fein's win of a number of seats during Ireland's general election earlier in the month. In his blog, Adams writes the that the party has always had additional advisers.May 13, 2020 - The United Kingdom's Supreme Court rules that Adams was unlawfully imprisoned in the 1970s and overturns two convictions against him for trying to escape from prison.
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London (CNN)2020 was a tumultuous year for most people, and that's no less true for Queen Elizabeth II.Britain's monarch has long occupied two roles -- one as the head of the state and nation, the other as the head of her own family -- and over the past 12 months she has been forced to confront crises on both fronts.Here's a look back at one of the Queen's most challenging years to date.A rocky startThe new year was barely underway when Prince Harry and his wife Meghan announced to the world -- and the rest of the family -- they were quitting their roles as senior royals. Read MoreThe Duke and Duchess of Sussex said in a bombshell statement on their official Instagram account on January 8 they hoped to continue supporting the monarch but wanted to seek financial autonomy. The pair credited the Queen with providing the encouragement "particularly over the last few years" that led them to make such a dramatic announcement.But CNN understands conversations over the couple's future were already underway and the Queen was "disappointed" that her grandson had opted to reveal as much publicly. The monarch had explicitly told Harry to continue negotiations privately and was said to been left "upset."Prince Harry and Meghan depart Canada House on January 7 in London, England.Harry and Meghan had hoped to carve out a role the establishment had never seen before, a hybrid position where they would choose which formal positions they would keep and which they would leave behind while they developed their own private income streams and independence. It's clear they also felt unsupported and unprotected by the palace machinery against what they felt was a constant barrage of media abuse and lies.Related: Harry and Meghan's decision to step back has been on the cards for some time But royal roles are in the gift of the monarch, and the Sussexes' "half-in, half-out" model wasn't seen as workable. The Queen was left in the uncomfortable predicament of trying to give her beloved grandson what he wanted without compromising the institution. It was perhaps the most delicate moment for the British monarchy since the aftermath of Diana's death in 1997.The situation culminated in a crisis summit at her Sandringham residence where she was joined by the heir to the throne Prince Charles, his elder son Prince William and Harry. In a statement after the meeting, the Queen said Harry, Meghan and their son Archie would "always be much loved members of my family." Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, reveals she had a miscarriage in July"I recognize the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life," she said. "I want to thank them for all their dedicated work across this country, the Commonwealth and beyond, and am particularly proud of how Meghan has so quickly become one of the family." The terms of the split stipulated that while the pair would always remain part of the family, they would no longer use their HRH titles; they would receive financial assistance from Charles, and could supplement their income with appropriate opportunities. Harry's frustration over the result was evident. "It brings me great sadness that it has come to this. The decision that I have made for my wife and I to step back is not one I made lightly," he told a charity event in London in late January. "Our hope was to continue serving the Queen, the Commonwealth, and my military associations, but without public funding. Unfortunately, that wasn't possible."By the end of March, Harry and Meghan's transition out of their royal roles was complete. The current arrangements are due to be reviewed by the Sussexes and the rest of the family in March.It was a dramatic start to the year, but arguably left the monarchy in a stronger position. The Crown can modernize as much as it likes, but ultimately it's built on a hierarchy, and the direct line of succession -- Elizabeth, Charles and William -- showed a united front.Related: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's media empire expands with Spotify podcast dealCharles catches Covid-19 Having settled the family drama, the Queen was immediately presented with one the biggest crises she's ever faced as head of nation -- keeping everyone united as the Covid-19 pandemic hit and the country went into an uncomfortable lockdown.As Covid-19 spread through the UK, she was prevented from doing what she does best when her busy diary of public engagements was suddenly curtailed. She made the decision to relocate from Buckingham Palace in London to form a bubble in Windsor with Prince Philip and key staff "as a sensible precaution."Prince Charles is seen on a monitor as he speaks during the opening of the "NHS Nightingale" field hospital, at the ExCeL London exhibition center, in London on April 3.Those words rang true days later, when Prince Charles announced he had tested positive for the coronavirus. The Prince of Wales was said to have had only mild symptoms and is otherwise in good health, but the mere fact that the 71-year-old was unwell emphasized to all how the virus did not discriminate. William also caught Covid-19 in the spring, but only revealed it later in the year, telling an "observer" that he opted not to go public with his diagnosis because "there were important things going on and I didn't want to worry anyone." His decision to initially withhold news of his illness from the public sparked some criticism.Related: Why wasn't the UK public told about Prince William's Covid diagnosis?Royal resilience As cases and deaths from the virus across the UK started to spiral in April, so too did criticism of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's handling of the pandemic. In co-ordination with Downing Street, the Queen agreed to address the nation in a televised speech."I am speaking to you at what I know is an increasingly challenging time. A time of disruption in the life of our country: a disruption that has brought grief to some, financial difficulties to many, and enormous changes to the daily lives of us all," the Queen said in early April.Her Majesty The Queen addresses the UK and the Commonwealth in a special broadcast recorded at Windsor Castle. pic.twitter.com/HjO1uiV1Tm— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) April 5, 2020
The Queen seldom makes national addresses, save for Christmas and when a new Parliament is installed. The moment was a somber but reassuring acknowledgment of the hardships society was facing. News channels the world over -- including CNN -- broke in as the pre-recorded video was broadcast to the UK and the 54 nations of the Commonwealth.In the speech, she drew on her first broadcast alongside her sister Princess Margaret in 1940 to relay that the nation and those watching would overcome the current crisis. "We, as children, spoke from here at Windsor to children who had been evacuated from their homes and sent away for their own safety. Today, once again, many will feel a painful sense of separation from their loved ones. But now, as then, we know, deep down, that it is the right thing to do," she said, while also thanking frontline healthcare professionals. Royal expert and historian Kate Williams said the speech sounded a note of hope that many Britons needed to hear in that moment. "It's so rare that she gives an address [and] the address she gave was so striking," Williams said. "It was dark days when everyone was very isolated, [and] couldn't go out at all ... it was a quite brilliantly delivered speech." The Queen's master class in fighting with compassionThat optimistic sentiment -- which she would echo in other 2020 speeches marking events like Easter and the 75th anniversary of VE Day -- reasserted her role as a hands-on leader and set the tone for how she and her family would conduct themselves for the remainder of the year. After imploring the public to remain at home, the royal family transitioned from walkabouts to video calls, embracing a new work-from-home life like millions of other Britons."We all knew Brexit was coming, but Covid is what we didn't see coming ... the Queen feels it's her job to lead by example and to hold leaders to account," Williams said. "I don't think it's been easy for her not being able to have face-to-face meetings with the Prime Minister -- that's what she prefers."This is one of the great crises of recent British history. More people have died than in the Blitz. It is like the war. I don't think that she thought she was going to have a quiet few years in her 90s but ... a lot of what she's seen are political crises and diplomatic conflicts and conflicts, and this is very different. It cannot be solved by getting people together around a table." A new normalThe Queen would not reopen the royal diary of engagements until July 17, when she knighted Captain Thomas Moore -- the 100-year-old World War II veteran who had raised millions for the UK's National Health Service. Hours earlier, she had attended a private wedding ceremony for her granddaughter Princess Beatrice. And as the spring wave finally abated, members of the royal family resumed socially distanced engagements with the public at foodbanks, hospitals and businesses hit by the pandemic.Williams said it has always been very important to the Queen to be there for the public and it will have been hard for her that Covid has limited her movements. She says the Queen knows for monarchy to work "it needs to be seen." "It's part of the contract it has with the people. It doesn't work if you just sit in the palace," she added. "Monarchy has had to completely reinvent in the same way that businesses have had to."Queen Elizabeth II attends virtual portrait unveiling via video callIt hasn't been a year entirely untainted by scandal: lingering questions remain over Prince Andrew's relationship with the late American financier Jeffrey Epstein. The Queen never said anything publicly about the matter, but she made a major statement in accepting what was billed as Andrew's decision to step back from public duties. The move came in the wake of Andrew's disastrous interview with the BBC in late 2019, when he denied having sex with an underage girl and said he had seen nothing suspicious when he was around Epstein, a convicted pedophile. It would have been a painful decision for both Andrew and his mother but ultimately one that again she felt was right for the institution.The latter part of the year also saw the family face several other challenges. In October, the Queen undertook her first public engagement since the spring lockdown -- a visit to Porton Down science park in southern England with William. But she was criticized by some for not wearing a mask despite a resurgence in the virus. In response, Buckingham Palace said the Queen had chosen to forego a mask after consulting her own medics and scientists at the military research facility. Social distancing guidelines were in place at the event and everyone the British monarch met had tested negative for the virus. A month later, she appeared in a mask for the first time at a commemorative ceremony in London.The Queen during a ceremony in Westminster Abbey to mark the centenary of the burial of the Unknown Warrior on November 4.The latest installment of "The Crown" brought a fresh flurry of international interest to palace gates in November. The fourth season of the Netflix drama heralded the arrival of Princess Diana, and painted Charles as a petulant prince and cruel husband. Critics said the portrayal of Charles -- along with a number of other scenes -- was inaccurate, and it prompted a call from one UK government official for Netflix to tack an extra disclaimer onto each episode of series."It's a beautifully produced work of fiction, so as with other TV productions, Netflix should be very clear at the beginning it is just that," Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden told the UK's Mail on Sunday. "Without this, I fear a generation of viewers who did not live through these events may mistake fiction for fact." Netflix refused to add the warning to the show.And in December, several family members were accused of breaking coronavirus regulations. In pictures published by The Mail Online, William and his family appeared to be walking alongside his uncle Prince Edward and his family during an outing to a Christmas-themed woodland walk. The photographs seemingly contravened England virus rules, which limits outdoor gatherings to just six people.The Queen and members of the royal family gave thanks to local volunteers and key workers for their work in helping others during the coronavirus pandemic and over Christmas at Windsor Castle on December 8. Like millions of Britons, the monarch sacrificed the traditional holiday festivities with her family at Sandringham. Instead, for the first time in 33 years, she remained at Windsor with 99-year-old Prince Philip.The situation is a fitting way to end the year, according to royal historian Williams. "It's unprecedented for them to be spending it just the two of them. Even in the war, [Christmas] was a big family time," she said.The Queen acknowledged what a sad and unusual festive season it would be for many in her annual Christmas speech, assuring those missing out on time with loved ones, and whose only wish was for "a simple hug or a squeeze of the hand," that "you are not alone."This year has seen the world grapple with something nobody could have predicted 12 months ago. For the Queen's part, she has reaffirmed her position as the unifier-in-chief for family, and for nation.At a time in her life when she might be expected to step back, the Queen has shown she is still in charge, even as she delegates more duties to Charles and William. Any rumors that she plans to abdicate and handover the crown have been quashed for another year.
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Story highlightsRichard Sterne of South Africa leads the way in Dubai Desert ClassicHe is one shot outside Ernie Els' course record of 61 set in 1994Lee Westwood opens 2013 campaign with a five-under 67Qatar winner Chris Wood has a 68 alongside Sergio Garcia South African Richard Sterne almost did the "impossible" as a ten-under-par 62 left him just one shot outside the 1994 course record set by his famous compatriot Ernie Els as he set the pace in the Dubai Desert Classic Thursday.The 31-year-old reveled in the benign scoring conditions on the Majils course at the Emirates Golf Course and came close to matching the 61 Els produced 19 years ago on his way to a commanding victory."I knew Ernie had shot 61 quite a while ago and always thought it would be impossible to get close, but I got as close as you could," he told the official European Tour website."Hopefully I can just keep going and give myself a chance on Sunday when it counts. I do want to win again and that's one of the goals for the year."It's been a while since I've won -- it's just not that easy to do anymore!" JUST WATCHEDLee Westwood looks forward to Ryder CupReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHLee Westwood looks forward to Ryder Cup 02:56JUST WATCHEDAt home with Lee WestwoodReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAt home with Lee Westwood 06:31JUST WATCHED2012: A game changer for McIlroy?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCH2012: A game changer for McIlroy? 04:44Five-time European Tour winner Sterne, who was hit by a back problem in 2010, shot ten birdies in his first 16 holes, but could only par the last two.Read: Former World No.1 Singh shocked by drug claimsIt left him one shot ahead of Scotland's Stephen Gallacher with Tommy Fleetwood, early Race to Dubai leader Scott Jamieson and Chris Doak on seven-under 65.Tournament star attraction Lee Westwood began his 2013 campaign with a five-under 67, the same mark as 56-year-old American star Mark O'Meara.Westwood, joint second with Gallacher at the event last year, showed little signs of rustiness in a round which included two eagles, the first after he holed a 175-yard seven iron on the sixth. Another followed on the 13th and he also had a hat-trick of birdies from the 15th."It was a bizarre round," he said. "I chipped in and three-putted from six feet -- everything was happening. I drove it great and hit a lot of shots close."England's Chris Wood and Spanish star Sergio Garcia, who finished first and second in Qatar last weekend, were both on 68.Defending champion Rafael Cabrera-Bello of Spain started his campaign with a 69.Newly appointed European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley started with a 74, one of only 32 players in a 132-strong field to be over par on the first day.
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Story highlightsGolfer Victoria Lovelady bidding to represent Brazil at 2016 OlympicsShe hopes the golf course in Rio opens up the sport to all (CNN)Her country has plenty of political problems ahead of the Rio Olympics but golfer Victoria Lovelady says Brazil's "happy culture" will ensure a "good time" Games.The 29-year-old musician and surfer is one of two Brazilian women chasing a spot in the Olympic golf event.But while she hopes the Games open up the sport to a new generation, she is aware the nation has more pressing problems than getting people to pick up a club.Follow @cnnsport
The Zika virus outbreak, a crippling recession and a political crisis that may cause President Dilma Rousseff to step down are just some of the controversies hampering the build-up to the Games.Read: Adam Scott opts out of Olympic golf tournament Read MoreBut Lovelady -- an accomplished guitarist who is often asked to perform at ladies' tour events -- believes Brazil's people will win over the world when the global spotlight falls in August.JUST WATCHEDAround Rio with one of Brazil's top female golfersReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAround Rio with one of Brazil's top female golfers 05:42"I think the most beautiful thing about our culture is that we're free to be happy," Lovelady told CNN's Living Golf. "I've been following the news and a lot of people are against the Olympics because people think we need to invest all this money. "Socially, economically, our country in terms of infrastructure, education, health, we're so far behind." "Here in Brazil people don't have much but you can feel in their souls they are happy," added Lovelady.Read: Is Tiger Woods close to a comeback?"We know how to party. That's our culture, that's what we know how to do best, especially Rio, land of carnival. "I think it can be chaotic, but people are going to have a good time no matter what."Rio's new Olympic golf course has been hampered by land ownership and environmental issues.Lovelady was introduced to golf through her father and grandfather, an internationally acclaimed pianist, who was one of the founding members of Rio's first golf club, Itanhanga.But despite her privileged position, she believes an opportunity will be missed if the legacy of the Rio Olympic golf course does not make the sport more accessible in Brazil.Read: Spieth's Masters disaster, the ultimate choke?Construction of the coastal course in Rio's Barra district began back in March 2013, but has been beset by land ownership and environmental issues. It staged its first test event in March this year to favorable reviews, with Lovelady describing it as "one of the best golf courses I've played in my life."Lovelady, who plays on the Ladies European Tour, says maintaining the controversial course will be the key post-Games and wants subsidized green fees and equipment available to inspire locals to take up the sport."Golf is definitely a sport towards the elite, people think golf is expensive," she said.JUST WATCHEDWill golf be a success in the Olympic Games? ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWill golf be a success in the Olympic Games? 08:08"But I think now with the Olympics and the course being the first public course in Brazil, there will be more curiosity, there will be more access. So I hope that can change. The course is going to open many doors for new talents. "The maintenance is going to be key in order for the course to keep being really interesting. It's a huge legacy."Rio's already a tourist destination. I think we can add golf to it as well." JUST WATCHEDTake a look at Rio's Olympic golf courseReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTake a look at Rio's Olympic golf course 08:28The Olympic golf event, to be played over a traditional 72-hole strokeplay format, will feature fields of 60 in both the men's and women's competitions.The top 15 in the world rankings will qualify automatically, up to a limit of four players per country, with the rest made up of players in the standings from nations without two players already involved.Lovelady is ranked 60th in the Olympic qualification rankings, two places behind compatriot Miriam Nagl."For me, it's huge," she said. "It's been on my mind for more than five years. There are a lot of mixed feelings about it, but I'm really excited as an athlete to be part of it."Lovelady says the Rio Olympics golf course "exceeded her expectations."
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Security researchers have discovered an interesting piece of malware that infects systems with either a cryptocurrency miner or ransomware, depending upon their configurations to decide which of the two schemes could be more profitable.
While ransomware is a type of malware that locks your computer and prevents you from accessing the encrypted data until you pay a ransom to get the decryption key required to decrypt your files, cryptocurrency miners utilize infected system's CPU power to mine digital currencies.
Both ransomware and cryptocurrency mining-based attacks have been the top threats so far this year and share many similarities such as both are non-sophisticated attacks, carried out for money against non-targeted users, and involve digital currency.
However, since locking a computer for ransom doesn't always guarantee a payback in case victims have nothing essential to losing, in past months cybercriminals have shifted more towards fraudulent cryptocurrency mining as a method of extracting money using victims' computers.
Researchers at Russian security firm Kaspersky Labs have discovered a new variant of Rakhni ransomware family, which has now been upgraded to include cryptocurrency mining capability as well.
Written in Delphi programming language, the Rakhni malware is being spread using spear-phishing emails with an MS word file in the attachment, which if opened, prompts the victim to save the document and enable editing.
The document includes a PDF icon, which if clicked, launches a malicious executable on the victim's computer and immediately displays a fake error message box upon execution, tricking victims into thinking that a system file required to open the document is missing.
How Malware Decides What To Do
However, in the background, the malware then performs many anti-VM and anti-sandbox checks to decide if it could infect the system without being caught. If all conditions are met, the malware then performs more checks to decide the final infection payload, i.e., ransomware or miner.
1.) Installs Ransomware—if the target system has a 'Bitcoin' folder in the AppData section.
Before encrypting files with the RSA-1024 encryption algorithm, the malware terminates all processes that match a predefined list of popular applications and then displays a ransom note via a text file.
2.) Installs cryptocurrency miner—if 'Bitcoin' folder doesn't exist and the machine has more than two logical processors.
If the system gets infected with a cryptocurrency miner, it uses MinerGate utility to mine Monero (XMR), Monero Original (XMO) and Dashcoin (DSH) cryptocurrencies in the background.
Besides this, the malware uses CertMgr.exe utility to install fake root certificates that claim to have been issued by Microsoft Corporation and Adobe Systems Incorporated in an attempt to disguise the miner as a trusted process.
3.) Activates worm component—if there's no 'Bitcoin' folder and just one logical processor.
This component helps the malware to copy itself to all the computers located in the local network using shared resources.
"For each computer listed in the file the Trojan checks if the folder Users is shared and, if so, the malware copies itself to the folder \AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup of each accessible user," the researchers note.
Regardless of which infection is chosen, the malware performs a check if one of the listed antivirus processes is launched. If no AV process is found in the system, the malware will run several cmd commands in an attempt to disable Windows Defender.
What's more? There's A Spyware Feature As Well
"Another interesting fact is that the malware also has some spyware functionality – its messages include a list of running processes and an attachment with a screenshot," the researchers say.
This malware variant is targeting users primarily in Russia (95.5%), while a small number of infection has been noticed in Kazakhstan (1.36%), Ukraine (0.57%), Germany (0.49%), and India (0.41%) as well.
The best way to prevent yourself from being a victim of such attacks in the first place is never to open suspicious files and links provided in an email. Also, always keep a good backup routine and updated anti-virus software in place.
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The use of mobile devices in government environments concerns the secret service of any states, cyber espionage more often exploits the mobile platforms.
Mobile devices are reason of great concern for governments, they have a great computational capability, huge memories to store our personal data, GPS to follow our movements and are equipped with a camera and microphone to increase our experience in mobility. The advent of monitoring apps like Mobistealth has already brought the possibility of using the aforementioned features to keep tabs on a target device irrespective of the geographic distance to light.
However, it has also raised red flags over the possibility of exploitation of such features by attackers for cyber espionage. The problem is well known to governments that are adopting necessary countermeasures especially following the recent revelations about the U.S. Surveillance program.
The UK Government has decided to ban iPads from the Cabinet over foreign eavesdropper fears, it has been requested Ministers to leave mobile in lead-lined boxes to avoid foreign governments to spy on top level government meetings.
The news is reported by the Mail on Sunday, after the Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude made a presentation using his iPads last week (about how the Government Digital Service might save the UK £2bn a year) the Downing Street security staff has dismissed the mobile device to prevent eavesdropping of ongoing discussions.
The measure was adopted to avoid that foreign security services infecting mobile devices are able to capture audio and data from victims, it is known that hostile actors like China, Russia and Iran have the ability to use mobiles in powerful spy tools.
Ministers belonging to sensitive government departments were recently issued with soundproof lead-lined boxes to guard and isolate their mobile devices during official meetings.
The precautions have been taken due the high concern caused by news that German Chancellor Angela Merkel's personal mobile has been spied by the NSA for years. My personal opinion it that it is not acceptable that the German Federal Intelligence Service has allowed everything, missing the adoption of appropriate protective measures like crypto mobile devices, protected landline and similar. Other governments already have approached the problem to adopt secure devices to prevent bugging and eavesdropping, the British foreign secretary William Hague confirmed his phone has been armored by GCHQ.
Just a week ago it was published the news that delegates at the G20 summit in Russia received malicious computer memory sticks used to serve a malware to spy on the participants and steal sensitive information, let's remember also that the information leaked on the NSA FoxAcid platform revealed the existence of spy tool kits RADON and DEWSPEEPER able to exploit victims via USB.
Herman Van Rompuy, the President of the European Council, ordered tests to be carried out on the memory sticks and the results are shocking:
'The USB pen drives and the recharging cables were able to covertly capture computer and mobile phone data,' a secret memo said.
Overseas, the situation does not change, even the US fear that the use of the mobile devices can cause them problems, The Department of Homeland Security and FBI warn public safety departments that their out-of-date Android devices are a security risk, but updating them is not always easy or simple.
The alert cited unspecified "industry reporting" that, "44 percent of Android users are still using versions 2.3.3 through 2.3.7 (Gingerbread) which were released in 2011 and have a number of security vulnerabilities that were fixed in later versions."
Google's own figures on its site for Android developers estimate that percentage at about a third less — 30.7 percent. But it also showed 21.7 percent using versions 4.0.3-4.0.4, called Ice Cream Sandwich, which is also out of date. Less than half – 45.1 percent – are using the latest OS, called Jelly Bean, and of that group, 36.6 percent are using 4.1, and only 8.5 percent are using 4.2, which is the latest OS.
The DHS/FBI document address principal cyber threats to out-of-date Android mobile devices, including SMS Trojans, Rootkits and fake Google Play Domains.
Despite the alert recommends regular updates, running an "Android security suite" and downloading apps only from the official Google Play Store, the update for Android devices can reveal several problems.
"There is a wide variety of Android OEM versions rolled out to a huge number of different handsets, and not all carriers and handset OEMs will allow you to upgrade to the latest version," "So, the Android versions that can run are restricted per device. Even now it is possible to buy Gingerbread devices that cannot be upgraded to Jelly Bean." said Mario de Boer, research director, Security and Risk Management Strategies at Gartner for Technical Professionals.
De Boer suggested that the only solution for now is to block the use of Android devices that are not running the latest OS.
"Apply admission control,""If your Smartphones or tablet is running a vulnerable OS, you cannot get access to the specific service or data." "this is hard to accomplish for voice and text, and easier for email and access to files."
The principal problem related to the use of mobile devices in government environment is that almost every Smartphone is not designed following severe requirements in term of corporate or government security, let's add that wrong user's habits aggravate the situation.
It needs a change or mobile devices should be excluded from sensitive contexts.
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U.S. and European law enforcement agencies have shut down a highly sophisticated piece of the botnet that had infected more than 12,000 computers worldwide, allowing hackers to steal victims' banking information and other sensitive data.
The law enforcement agencies from the United States, United Kingdom and the European Union conducted a joint operation to get rid of the botnet across the globe and seized the command-and-control server that had been used to operate the nasty Beebone (also known as AAEH) botnet.
What's a Botnet?
A botnet is a network of large number of computers compromised with malicious software and controlled surreptitiously by hackers without the knowledge of victims.
Basically, a "botnet" is a hacker's "robot" that does the malicious work directed by hackers.
Hackers and Cyber Criminals have brushed up their hacking skills and started using Botnets as a cyber weapon to carry out multiple crimes such as DDoS attacks (distributed denial of service), mass spamming, advertising revenue manipulation, cyber espionage, mining bitcoins, surveillance etc.
However, this is not first time we hear about a sophisticated botnet took down by law enforcement agencies.
Just two months ago, law Enforcement took down Ramnit botnet, which infected over 3.2 Million computers worldwide, and last year the FBI and Europol torn down the GameOver Zeus botnet, although it came back a month after its took down.
So, What's new about Beebone Botnet?
Beebone botnet is a downloader software (kind of botnet downloader) that installs other forms of malicious software, including ransomware and rootkits, onto victims' machines without their even consent.
The size of the network it infected was not significant, but the operators managed to maintain control of the infected machines over the years by making Beebone botnet polymorphic in nature, so that it can update itself in order to avoid antivirus detection.
Here's the Kicker:
Beebone botnet updates itself as many as 19 times a day which makes the malware slightly different threat from all the existing botnets as well as prevent botnet detection.
Once infected, the machines was ordered to "distribute malicious software, harvest users' credentials for online services, including banking services, and extort money from users by encrypting key files and then demanding payment in order to return the data to a readable state," the US Computer Emergency Response Team (US-CERT) said.
5 MILLION UNIQUE SAMPLES OF BEEBONE IN THE WILD
Initial figures show:
Beebone has infected over 12,000 computers, which seems to be a tiny number compared to other Zeus botnet infection in the past that infected millions of computers across the world.
However, it is believed that there are many more to come. According to Europol, currently there are more than 5 Million unique samples of Beebone botnet in the wild, with over 205,000 samples taken from a total of 23,000 computer systems between 2013 and 2014.
BEEBONE INFECTION WORLDWIDE
The footprint of Beebone botnet is worldwide:
Beebone infections spread across more than 195 countries. Most of the infections are reported in the United States, followed by Japan, India, and Taiwan, said Europol's Deputy Director of Operations, Wil van Gemert.
What's the best part?
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is currently working with other U.S. law enforcement agencies and Europol's European Cybercrime Centre (EC3), the Dutch National High Tech Crime Unit and the Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce in order to combat Beebone.
Why Botnets re-emerged after took down?
The main reason, according to me, is that the author of the botnet did not get arrested.
It really doesn't matter how many domains the law enforcement took down or how many sinkholes security researchers create if the attackers not arrested…
...nobody can stop criminals from building new Botnet from zero.
Thus, I really appreciate the FBI effort to weed out GameOver Zeus botnet by announcing a reward of $3 Million for the information leading to the direct arrest or conviction of Evgeniy Mikhailovich Bogachev -- The alleged author of GameOver Zeus botnet that stole more than $100 Million from bank accounts.
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It has been few weeks since the details of the Spectre, and Meltdown processor vulnerabilities came out in public and researchers have discovered more than 130 malware samples trying to exploit these chip flaws.
Spectre and Meltdown are security vulnerabilities disclosed by security researchers earlier this month in many processors from Intel, ARM and AMD used in modern PCs, servers and smartphones, among other devices.
These CPU vulnerabilities could enable attackers to bypass memory isolation mechanisms and access everything, including memory allocated for the kernel containing sensitive data like passwords, encryption keys and other private information.
Researchers from independent antivirus testing firm AV-TEST detected at least 139 malware samples, as of today, which are related to these CPU vulnerabilities, as shown in the growth graph.
You can find SHA256 hashes for all malware samples here.
Meanwhile, cybersecurity firm Fortinet also tracked and analyzed many malware samples 'trying to exploit' recently disclosed CPU vulnerabilities, most of which includes re-compiled or extended version of the JavaScript-based proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit released last month.
"The rate at which the cybercriminal community is targeting known vulnerabilities is clearly accelerating, with the WannaCry and NotPetya exploits serving as perfect examples of the need to patch vulnerable systems as soon as possible," Fortinet said.
"Which is why our concerns were raised when we recently learned about some of the largest vulnerabilities ever reported—ones that affect virtually every processor developed since 1995 by chip manufacturers Intel, AMD, and ARM."
Another news makes this situation, even more, worse—Intel halted all its CPU firmware patches for the Meltdown and Spectre flaws last week after it caused issues like spontaneous reboots and other 'unpredictable' system behaviour on affected PCs.
So, until Intel and other vendors do not come up with stable security patches for the Meltdown and Spectre attacks that don't cause systems to break, users are recommended to keep their operating system, web browsers, antivirus and other software up-to-date.
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The US Intelligence Agency, NSA has been reportedly intercepting and accessing routers, servers, and other computer networking hardware to plant data gathering "backdoors" and other spywares before they are exported and delivered to the international customers, reported by the Guardian.
Yesterday in a published excerpt of his forthcoming book, "No Place to Hide", Journalist Glenn Greenwald underlines the interest of National Security Agency in planting backdoors in U.S. suppliers' routers and other networking devices in order to carry out its massive surveillance program.
"A June 2010 report from the head of the NSA's Access and Target Development department is shockingly explicit," Greenwald said. "The NSA routinely receives — or intercepts — routers, servers and other computer network devices being exported from the US before they are delivered."
While US government is always prohibiting the purchase of Huawei products due to suspected backdoors from the Chinese government, however the book written by Glenn Greenwald reads that the US government does the same thing with US suppliers' hardware and repackages them with a factory seal before supplying them to overseas nations.
As Greenwald notes in the excerpt, "It is quite possible that Chinese firms are implanting surveillance mechanisms in their network devices. But the US is certainly doing the same."
"The agency then implants backdoor surveillance tools, repackages the devices with a factory seal, and sends them on. The NSA thus gains access to entire networks and all their users. The document gleefully observes that some 'SIGINT tradecraft…is very hands-on (literally!)'," Greenwald writes.
According to Greenwald, the document of this new revelation is going to release today. His new book is based upon the leaked documents from 2010 provided by the former NSA contractor Edward Snowden that detailed the NSA receiving or intercepting various devices in the US before exporting them to foreign countries, which he apparently obtained from Snowden.
Image Credit: Arstechnica
So far, The US National Security Agency (NSA) has been working with the security firm RSA on planting backdoors to spy on people, but if these allegations by Greenwald are correct, it's all clear that all manner of US companies must be complicity involved with the agency.
By planting backdoors surveillance systems in the equipments, the NSA could feasibly gain access to the vast networks and users.
"In one recent case, after several months a beacon implanted through supply-chain interdiction called back to the NSA covert infrastructure," the NSA report says, according to the Guardian. "This callback provided us access to further exploit the device and survey the network."
It's not first time the NSA has been accused of this type of allegation. Also a report from German newspaper Der Spiegel alleged that the US intelligence agency intercepts the shipping deliveries to plant back doors in electronic equipments in order to gain remote access of the systems, including computers' hard drives, routers, and other devices from companies such as Cisco, Dell, Western Digital, Seagate, Maxtor, Samsung, and Huawei.
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(CNN)Football has never been just a hobby for Jawahir Roble; it's her passion. Born in Somalia, the 25-year-old grew up playing football with friends. They would spend almost every waking minute kicking a ball around the beaches until their parents called them in for dinner. She loved it. She loved her "beautiful" country. But civil war changed all that. Somalia was plunged into chaos after dictator Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown in 1991. Following his ouster, clan warlords and militants battled for control, sparking mayhem nationwide.No longer safe in their own home, Roble's family fled to England when she was just 10 years old. Read MoreShe still remembers the journey and her parents telling her not to speak to anyone until they got to the airport. "I never, ever, in a million years, dreamed of leaving Somalia," she told CNN Sport."We struggled a lot as a family because imagine [...] nobody speaks English in a whole new country. Who is going to fill out the papers? It was difficult."READ: Rashford launches taskforce to continue fight against UK child povertyJawahir Roble has featured in a recent UEFA iniative. Refuge in the UKThe one positive for the family was their eventual location -- a house in the shadows of England's home of football, Wembley Stadium.Substituting the beaches of Somalia for a garden in London wasn't always the easiest transition but as long as a football was at her feet, Roble and her siblings were happy. "I think football was a little escape route for us because we would bring a football into school and we'd just play and play and play with the school kids," she said, smiling."That way we got to learn English quicker and we made a lot of friends."Despite her parents both being football fans, neither were particularly comfortable with their daughter pursuing any career in the sport over her academic studies. It led Roble to practice in secret, quickly changing out of her football gear whenever she returned home from playing with her friends. "I really wanted to make my parents proud but me playing sports was not the way," said Roble, who is now the focus of a UEFA 'We Play Strong' mini documentary. "But I was like 'I come first.' I need to make myself happy, I need to make my dreams come true and hopefully one day they will accept me for who I am. Sports is a big thing."I don't blame them [her parents]. It's their generation, it's their mindset. I'm glad that now we're all on the same page."READ: Disruptors plan Hollywood ending for LA women's soccer clubJUST WATCHEDAngel City: The new women-led football team looking for a Hollywood endingReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAngel City: The new women-led football team looking for a Hollywood ending 03:25'You have to be super strong'After dropping out of university while studying IT, Roble returned to study Football Coaching and Management. From there, she volunteered at a local club and, by chance, was asked to referee a small game out of necessity. She's never looked back.She now referees both men and women up to five times a day in the lower ranks of English football and has became the UK's first Muslim female referee."I don't see myself as a Muslim girl or a female, I just see myself someone who actually loves football and OK, the image is there, but it's what's inside," she said."In that 90 minutes, whether I'm playing or refereeing, nothing else matters around me. It's just the best feeling ever. I'm not thinking about school. I'm not thinking about anything. It's just pure pleasure. Literally, I love it." The 25-year-old now has dreams of refereeing some of the world's most prestigious leagues and tournaments and, after barely 30 minutes in her company, you wouldn't bet against it. Referee Sam Allison will become the first black referee to officiate in English football's top four divisions since 2009 next season and will become the first non-white official in the English Football League since 2010. Whilst creating her own path, Roble has learned to deal with the verbal backchat that's an almost constant feature of a referee's game and is more than comfortable when putting people "in their place."She's been told on a number of occasions that "this is a man's game, ref.""You have to be super, super strong. Literally, all your bossiness has to come out," she said, remembering an incident when a player told her she wouldn't be safe walking home after she had given a decision. "All your resilience has to come out. You can't just be a softy when you're a referee because people will have a go at you, players will have a go at you, so you have to look after yourself."READ: Messi fails to attend Barcelona pre-season trainingJUST WATCHEDLionel Messi and Barcelona: The highs and lowsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHLionel Messi and Barcelona: The highs and lows 02:09Message for the worldHaving proved her parents and wider community wrong, Roble wants to be a role model for other young children with ambitions for a career in the game. She also wants people to understand the plight of refugees across the world, especially during such uncertain times. "It's an horrendous time right now, people are being discriminated for who they are," she said."A lot of refugees are going to different countries. These refugees, these people are asking for help. If their home countries were not a problem for them, they would not be going to other people's homes."I would say respect them, support people as much as you can and just be there for them because, me being in England, I've been looked after very well. I'd actually call this place a second home. I'm very grateful."
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Story highlights'CNN Heroes: 10 Years On' is celebrating some of CNN's past heroes Juan Pablo Romero Fuentes became a CNN Hero in 2014 after turning part of his home into an after-school center The Guatemalan teacher's students were struggling with drugs and gangsHis nonprofit offers free classes, tutoring, meals and low-cost medical careJuan Pablo Romero Fuentes was honored as a Top 10 CNN Hero in 2014. Last year, he opened a new community center, which includes a bakery that provides culinary training to local children, a clinic and a cultural performance hall. He was also approved by the Guatemalan government to open an official school, which now educates 270 students from kindergarten through seventh grade.Jocotenango, Guatemala (CNN)Growing up in Guatemala, Juan Pablo Romero Fuentes watched many of his peers succumb to drugs, gangs and crime."Kids here are forced to grow up in a very harsh environment filled with violence," he said.Juan Pablo Romero Fuentes' nonprofit has helped over 1,000 children.Reeling from decades of civil war, Guatemala continues to be plagued by poverty and violence. According to the United Nations, the country has the fifth-worst homicide rate.Romero Fuentes became a teacher in his hometown, and he found that many of his students were struggling with the same issues his generation had faced."Their parents had no jobs; their families were disintegrating. They had no hope or motivation," he said. Read MoreSo, at age 23 and with his parent's blessing, Romero Fuentes turned part of his family's home into a community center. In 2006, he began tutoring and mentoring a handful of kids after school. Word spread quickly, and children from all over the community joined the group. Today, his program offers free classes, tutoring and meals, as well as low-cost medical care. His nonprofit, Los Patojos -- which translates to the Little Ones -- has helped more than 1,000 children."I created a safe place for them to realize that they actually can change bad aspects in their lives and their community," said Romero Fuentes, now 30. "I wanted to give them a better present in order to attain a brighter future."Finding hope at homeLos Patojos has become a haven in a region where young people are in desperate need of opportunity and protection.An unprecedented number of children from Central America have made the treacherous journey to the United States to flee violence and poverty in their countries. Since October, more than 57,000 unaccompanied minors from Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras have been caught crossing the U.S. border. Some 37% are from Guatemala -- more than any other country, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. JUST WATCHEDCNN Heroes: The Little OnesReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCNN Heroes: The Little Ones 01:42"These families are in desperate situations. They have no money and no hope for a better future for their children," Romero Fuentes said. Despite this harsh reality, Romero Fuentes believes his country can rebuild itself from within. But for the young people to help do that, he says, they need resources and support."In a violent country, the only weapon we can have is love," he said. "These kids are already powerful, but they don't know that yet."To that end, Los Patojos offers productive activities for people 3 to 18, all aimed at giving them the tools they need to transform their families and their communities.A generation of peacemakersRomero Fuentes' program takes place in the entire front portion of his family's home as well as another building down the block. At the main center, painted with colorful murals and quotes, children are exposed to a number of creative outlets. They take classes in dance, music, photography, theater and juggling and often put on performances for each other."These classes are to show kids that they can pursue their own passions in order to improve their lives," Romero Fuentes said.Leadership seminars teach the children about social, political and cultural issues. They learn the importance of moral courage, social justice and self-expression. They also explore ways to reduce violence. Photos: CNN Hero: Juan Pablo Romero FuentesCNN Hero: Juan Pablo Romero Fuentes – While working as a teacher in Guatemala, Juan Pablo Romero Fuentes saw his students struggling with drugs and gangs -- issues that his own generation faced as well. So at 23, he turned part of his family's home into a community center and started Los Patojos, a nonprofit that has become a haven for young people.Hide Caption 1 of 6 Photos: CNN Hero: Juan Pablo Romero FuentesCNN Hero: Juan Pablo Romero Fuentes – Los Patojos, which translates to the Little Ones, has helped more than 1,000 children. The program offers free classes, tutoring and meals, as well as low-cost medical care. Hide Caption 2 of 6 Photos: CNN Hero: Juan Pablo Romero FuentesCNN Hero: Juan Pablo Romero Fuentes – The group's feeding program provides a nutritious meal to more than 100 children each day. For many of them, it is the only meal they will have all day, Romero Fuentes said.Hide Caption 3 of 6 Photos: CNN Hero: Juan Pablo Romero FuentesCNN Hero: Juan Pablo Romero Fuentes – "I created a safe place for them to realize that they actually can change bad aspects in their lives and their community," said Romero Fuentes, now 30. "I wanted to give them a better present in order to attain a brighter future."Hide Caption 4 of 6 Photos: CNN Hero: Juan Pablo Romero FuentesCNN Hero: Juan Pablo Romero Fuentes – At the main center, painted with colorful murals and quotes, children are exposed to a number of creative outlets. They take classes in dance, music, photography, theater and juggling, and they often put on performances for one another.Hide Caption 5 of 6 Photos: CNN Hero: Juan Pablo Romero FuentesCNN Hero: Juan Pablo Romero Fuentes – "I love my city and my country. I want to inspire these kids," Romero Fuentes said. "They are the ones in charge of writing the new history in Guatemala."Hide Caption 6 of 6"We are raising them to be the future leaders of Guatemala," Romero Fuentes said. The group's feeding program provides a nutritious meal to more than 100 children each day. For many of them, it is the only meal they will have all day, says Romero Fuentes.Los Patojos also runs a medical clinic that provides basic health services to more than 1,500 people each year. And the organization is in the process of building its own school, where more than 250 students will attend preschool through sixth grade. For Romero Fuentes, this is just the beginning. "I love my city and my country. I want to inspire these kids," he said. "They are the ones in charge of writing the new history in Guatemala."
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The secure messaging app used by staffers in the White House and on Capitol Hill is not as secure as the company claims.
Confide, the secure messaging app reportedly employed by President Donald Trump's aides to speak to each other in secret, promises "military-grade end-to-end encryption" to its users and claims that nobody can intercept and read chats that disappear after they are read.
However, two separate research have raised a red flag about the claims made by the company.
Security researchers at Seattle-based IOActive discovered multiple critical vulnerabilities in Confide after a recent audit of the version 1.4.2 of the app for Windows, Mac OS X, and Android.
Confide Flaws Allow Altering of Secret Messages
The critical flaws allowed attackers to:
Impersonate friendly contacts by hijacking an account session or guessing a password, as the app failed to prevent brute-force attacks on account passwords.
Spy on contact details of Confide users, including real names, email addresses, and phone numbers.
Intercept a conversation and decrypt messages. Since the app's notification system didn't require any valid SSL server certificate to communicate, a man-in-the-middle attacker can potentially grab messages intended for a legitimate recipient.
Alter the contents of a message or attachment in transit without first decrypting it.
Send malformed messages that can crash, slow, or otherwise disrupt the application.
Exploiting the weaknesses allowed the researchers to gain access to more than 7,000 account records created over the span of two days (between February 22 and 24), out of a database containing between 800,000 and 1 Million records.
Flaw Exposed Details of a Trump Associate and Several DHS Employees
Out of just that 2-day sample, the researchers were even able to find a Donald Trump associate and several employees from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) who downloaded the Confide app.
IOActive researchers Mike Davis, Ryan O'Horo, and Nick Achatz responsibly disclosed a total 11 separate issues in Confide to the app's developers, who responded immediately by patching the app.
In addition to this, researchers from Quarkslab also showed off Confide exploits Wednesday after analyzing the app's code.
The researchers discovered a series of design vulnerabilities in the Confide for iOS app, which could allow the company to read user messages, adding that the app didn't notify users when encryption keys were changed.
Even, The Company Can Read Your Messages
According to the researchers, "Confide server can read your messages by performing a man-in-the-middle attack," and other security features of the app, such as message deletion and screenshot prevention, can also be defeated.
"The end-to-end encryption used in Confide is far from reaching state of the art," the researchers said. "Building a secure instant messaging app is not easy, but when claiming it, some strong mechanisms should really be enforced since the beginning."
Quarkslab researchers said the company server could generate its own key pair, meaning that the company has the ability to transmit the public key to a client when requesting the public key of a recipient.
"This client then unknowingly encrypts a message that can be decrypted by the server," the researchers added. "Finally, when the server sends the message to the recipient, it is able to re-encrypt the message with its own key for the actual recipient."
In response to Quarkslab's findings, Confide co-founder and president Jon Brod said:
"The researchers intentionally undermined the security of their own system to bypass several layers of Confide's protection, including application signatures, code obfuscation, and certificate pinning. The attack that they claim to be demonstrating does not apply to legitimate users of Confide, who are benefiting from multiple security protections that we have put in place. Undermining your own security or taking complete control of a device makes the entire device vulnerable, not just the Confide app."
Confide has rolled out an updated version of its app which includes fixes for the critical issues, and assured its customers that there wasn't any incident of these flaws being exploited by any other party.
Confide is one of those apps which, unlike other secure messaging apps, keeps its code private and until this time, offered little or no detail about the encryption protocols used in the app.
For more details about the vulnerabilities in Confide, you can head on to IOActive's advisory and Quarkslab's Blog.
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Domain name registrar and website hosting provider Go Daddy is responding to a DNS attack targeting a "small number" of its hosted websites that one security firm said is enabling cyber criminals to spread ransomware.
The DNS (Domain Name System) is what transfers host-names into IP addresses, meaning computers can talk to each other and users can access them online.
Godaddy said, "We suspect that the affected customers have been phished or their home machines have been affected by Cool Exploit as we have confirmed that this is not a vulnerability in the My Account or DNS management systems." The Cool Exploit Kit targets a variety of vulnerabilities, including Java errors, and has been seen spreading via drive-by attack websites.
The ransomware served depends on the country of origin. In the UK, it is malware posing as a legitimate message from the Met's Police e-Crime Unit (PCeU). It locks the computer, on the grounds that the computer was guilty of " unauthorized cyber activity", asking for payment to unlock it.
Attackers use vulnerabilities in the platforms and inject malicious code to set up drive-by attack websites. Users should avoid clicking on links sent to them via email or other means, even if the links appear to be legitimate at first glance. For instance, users should ensure their passwords are strong and unique to each website, and two-factor authentication should be readily available.
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